GIFT   OF 
THOMAS  RUTHERFORD  BACON 


ECCLESIASTICAL    POLITY. 


THE 


and  ilammttnion 


PRACTISED   BY   THE 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 


Which  were  Represented  by  Elders  and  Messengers  in  a 
National  Council  at  Boston,  A.  D.  1865. 


BOSTON: 

CONGREGATIONAL  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY. 
1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  uy 

THE  AMERICAN  CoNr.wwr^noNAL   ASSOCIATION, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


Stereotyped  and  Printed  by 
ALFRED  MUDOE  &  Sow,  Bosvo». 


PREFACE. 


IN  the  preliminary  arrangements  for  the  National 
Council  of  Congregational  churches  which  was  assem 
bled  at  Boston,  A.  D.  1865,  three  pastors  of  churches, 
one  each  in  Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  and  Ohio,  were 
appointed  to  prepare  a  paper  on  "  the  expediency  of 
issuing  a  Statement  of  Congregational  Polity."  One 
of  the  three  was  unable  to  participate  in  the  work,  but 
his  colleagues  presented  to  the  Council  their  report  on 
the  subject  assigned  to  them,  and  with  it  a  form  or 
draught  of  a  statement  of  polity  for  the  consideration 
of  the  assembled  elders  and  messengers. 

The  statement  thus  prepared  and  submitted  was 
carefully  considered  ;  and,  having  been  approved  in 
general  terms,  was  left  at  the  disposal  of  a  large  com 
mittee,  with  various  suggestions  of  changes  and  addi 
tions  tending  to  make  it  more  complete,  and  with 
authority  to  publish  it  after  such  amendments  as  they 
should  approve. 

The  Committee  appointed  by  the  Council  was  so 
numerous,  and  so  widely  dispersed,  that  any  full 

272567 


meeting  for  consultation  was  impracticable.  But,  after 
ample  time  for  consideration  and  for  advice  from  all 
sources,  the  publication  being  called  for  in  various 
quarters,  letters  were  addressed  to  the  members  of  the 
Committee,  appointing  a  time  and  place  for  their  meet 
ing,  and  requesting  every  one  who  could  not  attend  in 
person,  to  communicate  his  views  in  a  written  reply. 
Thus,  a  careful  revision  of  the  proposed  Boston  Plat 
form  of  1865,  was  effected  in  the  closest  practicable 
conformity  with  the  instructions  of  the  Council ;  and 
the  revised  and  amended  statement  of  Congregational 
polity  is  now  presented  to  the  churches  by  the  surviv 
ing  members  of  the  Committee. 

The  usefulness  of  that  Council,  great  and  various  as 
it  has  been,  would  have  been  incomplete  without  some 
testimony  from  it  concerning  the  principles  of  church 
government,  and  the  usages  in  which  those  principles 
are  applied.  Congregational  synods  in  former  times 
have  judged  it  necessary  for  them  to  give  such  testi 
mony.  The  synod  which  assembled  at  Cambridge  in 
1646,  and  was  continued  by  successive  adjournments 
till  1648,  and  to  which  all  the  churches  of  the  New 
England  colonies  were  invited,  left,  as  a  memorial  of 
itself,  that  statement  of  Congregational  polity  which 
has  ever  since  been  called  the  Cambridge  Platform. 
The  synod  of  Congregational  churches  which  was  con 
vened  under  the  patronage  of  the  English  government 
in  1658,  at  the  Savoy  in  London,  issued  a  "  Declaration 
of  the  Faith  and  Order  Owned  and  Practiced  in  the 
Congregational  Churches  of  England."  Fifty  years 


5 

later,  a  synod  of  the  churches  in  the  colony  of  Connecti 
cut,  at  Saybrook,  gave  out  that  scheme  of  a  modified 
Congregationalism,  which,  though  never  adopted  else 
where,  has  had  its  influence  on  the  churches  in  almost 
all  parts  of  our  country.  More  recently,  in  1833,  the 
Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales,  though 
net  properly  a  synod  or  council  of  churches,  issued  a 
careful  and  well-authenticated  Declaration  describing 
the  faith  and  order  of  the  Congregational  churches  in 
that  country.  Such  precedents  were  enough  to  justify 
the  giving  of  a  similar  testimony  by  an  assembly  of 
elders  and  messengers  representing,  for  the  first  time 
since  1648,  all  the  Congregational  churches  in  a  coun 
try  which  was  then  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness, 
but  has  now  become  the  United  States  of  America. 

Some  such  declaration,  exhibiting  with  more  author 
ity  than  can  belong  to  any  individual  or  local  testi 
mony,  the  system  of  order  actually  held  by  these 
churches,  is  greatly  needed.  The  churches  need  it  for 
their  own  information  and  guidance.  Pastors  and 
home  missionaries,  and,  indeed,  all  our  ministers  need 
it,  that  they  may  not  be  misled  by  unconscious  imita 
tion  of  systems  incongruous  with  the  first  principles 
of  the  New-Testament  polity.  Our  foreign  mission 
aries  need  it,  that  the  churches  which  they  gather  may 
learn  to  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  with  which  Christ  has 
made  them  free.  Young  men  who  are  preparing  them 
selves  in  theological  schools,  for  the  service  of  the 
churches,  need  it,  that  they  may  be  qualified  for  that 
part  of  their  expected  work  which  relates  to  the  rights 


and  functions  of  a  church,  and  the  administration  of 
its  discipline.  Many  whose  ecclesiastical  connection 
is  with  other  portions  of  Christ's  universal  church  need 
it,  that  their  minds  may  be  clear  of  misinformation  or 
of  prejudice.  Especially  is  it  needed  in  the  new  States 
and  territories  where  ecclesiastical  institutions  are  yet 
to  be  formed,  and  in  those  older  States  where  all  things 
are  becoming  new.  Wherever  devout  and  believing 
souls,  weary  of  hierarchical  and  synodical  governments 
over  Christ's  free  people,  are  ready  to  unite  in  a  church 
which  shall  be  only  Christ's,  and  in  which  they  may 
joyfully  learn  and  testify  that  where  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  there  is  liberty,  some  convenient  manual  is 
needed  to  show  them  how  such  a  church  may  be  con 
stituted  and  governed. 

No  ancient  document  can  be  wisely  referred  to  as 
being  in  all  respects  sufficient  for  the  present  need  of 
these  churches.  The  Cambridge  Platform,  though 
framed  with  much  deliberation  and  much  study  of  the 
Scriptures,  was  the  work  of  a  few  men,  who,  in  a  wil 
derness  remote  from  all  the  Christian  world  beside, 
were  attempting  to  recover  the  church  polity  of  the 
apostles  ;  and  it  is  now  more  valuable  as  a  means  of 
showing  how  little  our  churches  have  departed  from 
their  original  principles  and  methods,  than  as  a  guide 
to  the  manner  in  which  those  principles  are  now  ap 
plied  and  administered  in  the  practice  of  these  churches. 
Indeed,  there  are  portions  of  it  which,  to  readers  not 
remembering  its  date  and  what  questions  of  church 
polity  wer.e  then  under  discussion  in  England,  or  not 


familiar  with  the  technical  terms  of  a  logic  now  obso 
lete,  are  hardly  intelligible  without  a  commentary. 
The  Savoy  Declaration,  though  more  lucid  than  the 
Cambridge  Platform,  is  less  systematic  ;  and,  as  it  only 
touches,  instead  of  exhibiting  and  applying  the  great 
principle  of  the  communion  of  churches  with  each 
other,  it  is  by  no  means  an  adequate  representation  of 
American  Congregationalism.  The  Heads  of  Agree 
ment,  assented  to  by  certain  ministers  of  Dissenting 
churches  in  and  about  London  in  1690,  and  incorpo 
rated  into  the  Saybrook  Platform,  though  it  has  been 
useful  in  Connecticut,  and  has  had  its  influence  in  the 
ecclesiastical  history  of  our  country,  can  hardly  be 
called  a  statement  of  Congregational  polity.  It  was 
designed  to  mark  out  a  way  in  which  Presbyterian 
congregations  and  ministers,  actually,  though  unwil 
lingly,  independent  of  a  national  church  and  of  Pres- 
byterial  judicatures,  might  walk  in  amity  and  virtual 
unity  with  Congregational  ministers  and  churches.  No 
statement  of  polity  that  was  framed  in  a  former  century 
or  in  another  country  can  suffice  for  the  Congregational 
churches  of  the  United  States,  in  their  present  relations 
to  each  other,  to  their  country,  and  to  the  progress  of 
the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

A  polemic  defence  of  Congregationalism,  or  a  rhetor 
ical  commendation  of  it,  is  not  what  was  intended  in 
the  original  draught  of  the  platform  now  submitted  to 
the  churches,  nor  what  was  approved  and  authorized 
by  the  National  Council  at  Boston.  Such  expositions 
of  our  church  polity  may  proceed  more  fitly  from  indi- 


8 

viduals  than  from  any  representative  body.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  simple  statement  of  the  two  or  three  first 
principles  which  constitute  the  radical  difference 
between  Congregationalism  and  other  theories  of 
church  government  would  not  be  sufficient.  Those  first 
principles  are  only  the  points  of  divergence  between 
differing  systems;  and  how  wide  the  divergence  is 
cannot  be  shown  but  by  showing  the  application  of  the 
principles.  A  simple  and  perspicuous  statement,  not 
only  of  the  principles  on  which  our  polity  is  founded,  but 
also  of  the  usages  and  arrangements  which  those  prin 
ciples  have  established  among  us,  and  in  which,  by 
common  consent,  they  are  applied  and  made  practical, 
will  be,  it  is  believed,  of  great  use  to  our  churches  both 
in  their  internal  administration  and  in  their  fellowship 
with  each  other.  Such  a  statement  is  what  has  been 
attempted  in  the  summary  now  offered  to  the  churches 
for  their  approval,  and  to  all  who  desire  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  ecclesiastical  principles  and  meth 
ods  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United 
States. 

The  authority  pertaining  to  any  exposition  of  Con 
gregational  polity,  by  whatever  assembly,  is  wholly 
unlike  the  authority  which  is  claimed  for  the  canons 
enacted  by  the  variously  named  assemblies  of  clergy 
and  delegates  which  assume  to  govern  the  particular 
congregations  under  them.  It  is  little  more  than  a 
truism  to  say,  that  the  National  Council  at  Boston  had 
no  legislative  power  to  ordain  a  new  constitution  for 
the  churches,  or  to  promulgate  any  new  rules  ;  and  no 


judicial  power  to  establish  precedents  which  inferior 
courts  must  follow.  All  that  any  such  Council  can  do 
is  to  inquire,  to  deliberate,  and  to  testify.  A  careful 
statement,  first  approved  in  general  terms  by  that  great 
multitude  of  witnesses,  and  then  revised  and  completed 
under  their  directions,  by  men  selected  for  the  purpose 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  will  naturally  have  what 
ever  authority  belongs  to  the  testimony  of  trustworthy 
witnesses,  well  informed  concerning  the  matter  in 
question,  and  representing  "all  those  Congregational 
churches  in  the  United  States  of  America  which  are  in 
recognized  fellowship  and  co-operation  through  the 
General  Associations,  Conferences  and  Conventions  in 
the  several  States."  Whatever  authority  the  Cam 
bridge  Platform  has  as  testifying  what  was  the  way  of 
the  New-England  churches  in  1648,  just  that  authority 
a  similar  statement  proceeding  from  the  National 
Council  of  1865  may  have  as  testifying  what  American 
Congregationalism  is  in  these  latter  years  of  the  nine 
teenth  century. 

Some  of  us  whose  names  are  subscribed,  were  the 
compilers  of  the  following  statement  in  the  form  in 
which  it  was  presented  to  the  Council.  The  others 
were  appointed  by  the  Council  to  aid  in  revising  and 
completing  the  statement,  so  that  it  might  have  in  its 
present  form  the  highest  practicable  authentication  from 
that  great  assembly.  As  in  the  original  draught,  so  in 
this  revision,  we  have  not  presumed  to  insert  any  nov 
elties,  nor  to  express  our  own  preferences,  but  only  to 
state  what  is  commonly  received  and  practised  in  the 
churches.  We  dare  not  profess  that  we  have  erred  in 


IO 


no  particular,  nor  that  in  every  phrase  we  are  unani 
mous.  Yet  while  many  things  of  minor  importance 
have  been  omitted,  which  some  of  us  desired  to  affirm, 
and  while  every  one  reserves  his  liberty  of  dissent,  we 
have  not  intended  to  affirm  anything  which  seemed  to 
any  of  us  unsound  in  principle  or  untrue  in  fact.  A 
comparison  of  our  work  with  the  Cambridge  Platform 
will  show  how  closely  we  have  followed  that  time-hon 
ored  summary  in  the  general  plan,  in  the  arrangement 
of  topics,  and  in  language;  and,  at  the  same  time,  how 
freely  we  have  departed  from  it,  whether  for  the  sake  of 
increased  perspicuity,  or  for  the  sake  of  exhibiting  the 
Congregational  polity  as  it  is  in  fact  to-day,  instead  of 
exhibiting  it  as  it  was  in  theory  when  our  fathers,  so 
long  ago,  were  beginning  to  build  on  this  continent,  to 
the  glory  of  our  God,  a  temple  more  august  than  Gothic 
minster  or  Roman  basilica,  —  his  living  temple  that 
shall  live  forever. 

LEONARD  BACON,  JULIAN  M.  STURTEVANT, 

ALONZO  H.  QUINT,  TRUMAN  M.  POST, 

HENRY  M.  STORRS,  EDWARD  BEECHER, 

EDWARDS  A.  PARK,  WILLIAM  SALTER, 

SAMUEL  HARRIS,  JAMES  S.  HOYT, 

SAMUEL  C.  BARTLETT,  DAVID  BURT, 

GEORGE  P.  FISHER,  JOSEPH  P.  THOMPSON, 

JAMES  H.  FAIRCHILD,  HENRY  STOCKBRIDGE, 

EDWARD  A.  LAWRENCE,  NATHANIEL  A.  HYDE, 

JOHN  P.  GULLIVER,  RICHARD  CORDLEY, 

BENJAMIN  LABAREE,  ASAHEL  FINCH, 

MARK  HOPKINS,  WARREN  CURRIER, 

WILLIAM  BARROWS,  RUFUS  ANDERSON. 


II 

Hon.  WOODBURY  DAVIS,  of  Maine,  Hori.  JOHN 
HALL  BROCKWAY,  of  Connecticut,  and  Rev.  LEONARD 
SWAIN,  D.  D.,  of  Rhode  Island,  were  members  of  the 
Committee  for  revising  and  completing  the  statement 
of  Congregational  polity,  but  have  departed  this  life. 
Yet  it  should  be  known  that  Judge  Davis  assisted  in 
the  work  of  the  Committee,  and  that  whatever  changes 
were  suggested  by  him  have  been  adopted. 


'3 

THE  GOVERNMENT  AND  COMMUNION 


M  oitgrcjgational  H  hurchcs  in  ihc  wmlcd 


PART   I. 
PRELIMINARY  PRINCIPLES. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Definition   and  Rule  of  Church  Polity. 

1.  THE   Holy   Scriptures,   and    especially  the 
Scriptures  of  the   New   Testament,  are   the  only 
authoritative  rule  for  the  constitution  and  adminis 
tration  of  church  government ;  and  no  other  can 
be  imposed  on  Christians  as  a  condition  of  mem 
bership  and  communion  in  the  church. 

2.  God  has  prescribed   in  the  Scriptures,  the 
association  of  believers  for  united  worship  and  spir 
itual  communion,  in  order  to   the   visibility,  the 
purity,   the   advancement,  and  the  perpetuity   of 
Christ's  kingdom.     What  God  has  thus  prescribed 
is  the  true  church  polity.* 

*  Compare  Cambridge  Platform,  ch.  I. 


CHAPTER   II. 

The  Church   Catholic,  and  a  Particular  Church. 

1.  CHRIST'S  Catholic  or  Universal  Church,  is 
the  great  company  of  the  redeemed  and  sanctified 
in  all  ages. 

2.  The  Church  Universal  includes  the  redeemed 
in  Heaven.     They  who  have  entered  into  the  joy 
of  their  Lord,  are  the  Church  Triumphant.     They 
who  are  serving  Christ  on  the  earth,  and  contend 
ing  with  the  powers  that  rule  the  darkness  of  this 
world,  are  the  Church  Militant. 

3.  The  Militant  Church  Catholic  on  earth  is  not 
merely  that  which  is  discerned  by  God  who  searches 
the  hearts,  but  is  visible,  as  including  all  who  pro 
fess  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  do  not  wholly  contra 
dict  that  profession  by  ungodliness  in  their  lives, 
or  by  rejecting  the  essential  truths  of  the  gospel. 

4.  The  Visible  Church  Catholic  comprehends 
not  only  such  particular  churches  as  are  constituted 
and  governed  according  to  rules   and  precedents 
given  in  the  Scriptures,  but  also  all  assemblies  of 
believers  and  worshippers,  holding  what  is  essen 
tial   to   the   Christian   faith ;    and  it  is   rightfully 
governed  by  no  pretended  vicar  of  Christ,  nor  by 


'S 

any  assembly  having  jurisdiction  over  particular 
churches,  but  only  by  Christ  himself  through  his 
word  and  Spirit. 

5.  As  the  notion  of  a  visibly  organized  and 
governed  Catholic  Church  has  no  warrant  from  the 
Scriptures  ;  so  the  notion  of  a  national  church  hav 
ing  jurisdiction  over  the  particular  churches  in  a 
nation  is  equally  unwarranted.     Under  the  gospel, 
the  visibly  governed  church  is  not  ecumenical,  nor 
national,  nor  provincial,  nor  diocesan,  but  only  local 
or  parochial,  —  a  congregation  of  believers  dwell 
ing  together  in  one  city,  town,  or  convenient  neigh 
borhood. 

6.  A  particular  or  local  church  is  a  definite  and 
organized  part  of  the  Visible  Church  Catholic ;  and 
all   particular    churches,   being  the  one   body   of 
Christ,  and  having  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap 
tism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  are  bound  to  main 
tain  and  manifest  the  catholic  communion  of  saints, 
endeavoring,  in  their  relations   one   with   another, 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the   Spirit  in  the   bond  of 
peace.* 

*  Compare  Cambridge  Platform,  ch.  ii.     Savoy  Declara 
tion,  §§  1-6.    Heads  of  Agreement,  ch.  i.  §§  I,  2, 


i6 


PART    II. 

THE  CONSTITUTION  AND    ORDER  OF 
THE  LOCAL  CHURCH. 


CHAPTER   I. 
How  a  Particular  Church  is    Constituted. 

1.  THE  visible  church   consists  of  those   who, 
visibly  belonging  to  Christ,  are  separated  from  the 
ungodly  world  and  united  in  a  holy  fellowship. 

2.  Those  who  visibly  belong  to  Christ  are,^rj/, 
such  as,  having  attained  some  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  religion  and  being  free   from  gross 
scandals,  do  profess  their  personal  repentance  and 
faith,  and   walk  in  obedience  to   the  word  ;    and 
secondly,  the  children  of  such,  who,  being  children 
of  the  covenant,  are  in  that  sense  Christ's,  and  are 
recognized  as  holy  in  the  Scriptures. 

3.  The  members  of  one  church  ought  ordinarily 
to  dwell  in  such  vicinity  to  each  other  that  they 
can  meet  in  one  place  ;  and  ordinarily,  the   mem 
bers  of  one  church  ought  not  to  be  more  in  number 
than  can  meet  in  one  assembly,  and  manage  their 


'7 

affairs  by  one  administration.  Yet  if  there  be  many 
congregations,  distinct  from  each  other,  in  one 
town  or  city,  they  ought  to  regard  themselves  and 
each  other  as  branches  of  Christ's  one  Catholic 
Church  in  that  place. 

4.  Those  believers  who  dwell  together  in  one 
place  become  a  church  by  their  recognition  of  each 
other,    and    their   mutual    agreement    to    observe 
Christ's  ordinances  in  one   society.     Their   cove 
nant  with  Christ  to  be  his  disciples   and   obedient 
subjects  becomes,  by  that  mutual  recognition  and 
agreement,  their  covenant  with   each  other  to  be 
fellow-disciples  and  helpers  of  each  other's  faith 
in  a  distinct  church. 

5 .  Different  degrees  of  explicitness  in  the  church 
covenant  do  not  affect  the  being  of  the  church,  or 
the   duties   and   responsibilities   of  its   members. 
The  essence   and   meaning  of  the   covenant  are 
retained  where  the  agreement  of  certain  believers 
to  meet  constantly  io  one  congregation  for  worship 
and  edification  is  expressed  only  by  their  practice 
of  thus  meeting,  and  their   actual   observance  of 
Christian  ordinances.     However   explicit  the  cov- 
nant  may  be,  it  can  rightfully  express  nothing  more 
than  a  mutual  agreement  to  observe  all  Christ's 

2 


18 


laws  and  ordinances  as  one  church  of  Christ ;  and 
however  informal  the  agreement,  it  can  mean 
nothing  less. 

6.  Every  believer  having  the  opportunity  should 
be  a  member  of  some  particular  church,  that  he 
may  honor  Christ  by  his  professed  conformity  to 
the  order  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and  that 
he  may  have  the  benefits  of  visible  union  and  fel 
lowship  with  the  church,  which  is  the  communion 
of  the  saints.  These  benefits  are,  first,  a  partici 
pation  in  the  promise  of  Christ's  special  presence 
with  his  church  ;  secondly,  the  increased  activity  and 
enjoyment  in  the  Christian  life  by  combining  the 
affections  and  endeavors  of  believers,  and  by  inciting 
each  other  to  love  and  good  works  ;  thirdly,  watch 
ful  and  fraternal  help  to  ke?p  each  other  in  the 
way  of  God's  commandments,  and  to  recover  by 
due  admonition  and  censure  any  that  go  astray ; 
and,  fourthly,  aid  in  the  Christian  nurture  and 
training  of  their  children,  that  their  households 
may  be  holy,  and  their  posterity  be  not  cut  off  from 
the  blessings  of  the  covenant.  Should  all  believers 
neglect  this  duty  of  voluntarily  entering  into  organ 
ized  Christian  fellowship,  to  which  duty  they  are 
moved  by  the  impulses  of  a  renewed  and  holy 


mind,  Christ  would  soon  have  no  visibly  associated 
and  organized  church  on  earth.* 


CHAPTER  II. 

God's  Instituted    Worship  in  the  Church. 

1.  Believers  joined  to  each  other  and  to  Christ 
in  a  church  are  builded  together,  for  a  habitation 
of  God  through  the  Spirit.     The  church  is  therefore 
spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  house  of  God 
and  the  temple  of  his  worship. 

2.  The  worship  of  God  in  his  spiritual  temple, 
the  church,  includes  prayer,  the  singing  of  psalms 
and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  the  sacraments,  and  the  contribution  of  gifts 
and  offerings  for  the  service  of  Christ. 

3.  Prayers  in  the  church  should  be  grave  and 
earnest,  lifting  up  the  thoughts  and  desires  of  the 
assembly  to  God;   being  prompted  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  they  should  not  be  limited  by  any  prescribed 
and  inflexible  form,  but  offered  freely,  according  to 

*  Compare  Camb.   PI.  chs.  iii,  iv.      Sav.   Dec.   §§    7,   8. 
Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  i,  §§  3-5. 


20 

the  vicissitudes  of  need  and  trial,  and  of  joy  or 
sorrow,  in  the  church  or  in  its  households ;  they 
should  be  offered  for  all  men,  for  those  who  are  in 
authority,  for  the  welfare  of  the  civil  state,  and  for 
the  Universal  Church  of  Christ  on  earth ;  and  in 
the  matter  and  manner  they  should  be  agreeable 
to  such  models  as  the  Scriptures  give,  and,  above 
all,  to  that  model  which  Christ  himself  gave  to  his 
disciples,  that  he  might  teach  them  how  to  pray. 

4.  Singing  in  the  church  is  not  for  the  delight 
of  the  sense,  as  in  places  of  amusement,  but  for 
the  union  of  voices  and  hearts  in  worship,  and  for 
spiritual  edification.     The  Psalms  in  the  Old  Tes 
tament  are  sanctioned  for  this  use  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  and  remain  in  the  church  forever,  to 
be  used  in  praising  God.     There  is  warrant  also  in 
the  New  Testament  for  the  use  of  hymns  and  spir 
itual  songs,  but  not  to  the  exclusion  or  neglect  of 
the  Psalms. 

5.  The  ministry  of  the  word  in  the  church  is 
by  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  with  such  exposi 
tion   as   may   aid   the    hearers   in  their   personal 
and  family  searching  of  the  same ;    and  also  by 
preaching  and  teaching,  that  the  truths  and  princi 
ples  which  God  has  revealed  in  his  law  and  in  the 


21 

gospel  may  be  set  forth  distinctly  in  their  manifes 
tation  of  the  glory  and  government  of  God,  in  their 
relations  to  each  other,  and  in  all  their  applications 
to  the  duties  of  men  and  to  the  salvation  of  sin 
ners. 

6.  The  two  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament, 
representing  and  commemorating  through  all  ages 
the  twofold  grace  of  God  offered  in  the  gospel,  are 
to   be    administered   in    all    churches.      Baptism, 
wherein   the  purifying   element  of  water  signifies 
and  represents  the  inward  washing  of  regeneration 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  be  admin 
istered  in  simplicity,  with  no  vain  or  superstitious 
ceremonies.     In  like  manner  the  Lord's  Supper, 
wherein  believers  partake  of  his  body  which  was 
broken  for  us,  and  of  his  blood  which  was  shed 
for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins,  is  to  be  cele 
brated   in   simple   conformity  with   the   recorded 
words  of  the  institution. 

7.  In  the  place  of  those  prescribed  and  definite 
exactions  which  were  part  of  God's  appointed  wor 
ship  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  are  the  free  gifts 
of  Christ's  disciples  to  his  suffering  brethren  and 
to  his  cause  and  service.     The  contribution  in  the 
church  is  not  a  secular  thing  adverse  to  spiritual 


22 


edification,  but  is  an  act  of  grateful  homage  to 
Christ  and  of  communion  with  his  brethren.* 


CHAPTER    III 

Church  Power. 

1.  Church  power,  under  Christ,  resides  not  in 
any  priesthood  or  clergy,  nor  in  the  officers  of  the 
church ;  but  in  the  church  itself,  and  it  is  derived 
through  the  church,  to  its  officers,  from  Christ. 

2.  Church  power  extends  no  further  than  to 
declare  and  apply  the  law  given  in  the  Scriptures. 
No  church  has  any  rightful  power  to  make  itself 
other  than  simply  a  church  of  Christ,  in  which  his 
mind,  as  made  known  in  the  Scriptures,  shall  be 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice.     As  no  church 
may  add  anything  to  the  sum  of  Christian  doctrine, 
or  take  anything  therefrom,  so  no  church  may  add 
anything  to  or  take  anything  from  those  rules  of 
Christian  living,  and  those  conditions  of  Christian 
fellowship,  which  the  Scriptures  prescribe,  f 

*  Compare  John  Robinson's  Catechism,  Qu.  24-37,  46. 
New  Haven  Catechism  by  John  Davenport  and  William 
Hooke. 

t  Comp.  Camb.  I»l.  ch.  v.    Sav.  Dec.  §§  1-7. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Church  Officers. 

1.  Officers  in  a  church  are  necessary  to  its  well- 
being,  and  to  its  functions,  though  not  to  its  exist 
ence.     Therefore,  they  are  appointed  by  Christ's 
institution,  and  are  counted  among  the  gifts  of  his 
triumphal  ascension. 

2.  The  powers  and  functions  of  church  officers 
are  not  to  be  confounded  with  those  of  the  apos 
tles,  and  other  extraordinary  ministers  of  Christ  at 
the  beginning  of  the  gospel.     Nor  are  the  officers 
ji  a  church  to  be  recognized  as  holding  their  offi 
cial  power  in  succession  from  the  apostles,  or  as 
having  any  of  that  authority  over  all  churches  with 
which  the  apostles  were  invested. 

3.  Church  officers,  according  to  the  arrange 
ment  which  the  apostles  instituted  in  every  church, 
are  of  two  sorts, —  bishops,  or  elders,  and  deacons. 

4.  The  office  of  elder  or  bishop,  in  the  church, 
is  twofold :  to  labor  in  word  and  doctrine,  and  to 
rule.     As  laboring  in  word  and  doctrine,  elders  are 
pastors   and   teachers,  for   the  perfecting  of  the 
saints,  and  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ; 
and,  in  order  to  this,  they  are  to  preach  the  word 


24 

and  to  administer  the  sacraments.     As  ruling  in 

O 

the  church,  they  are  to  be,  not  lords  over  God's 
heritage,  but  servants  of  all,  for  Jesus'  sake, 
watching  for  souls  as  ihey  that  must  give  account. 
They  are  to  declare  the  admission  of  members 
approved  by  the  church,  to  ordain  officers  chosen 
by  the  church,  to  pronounce  the  excommunication 
of  offenders  rejected  by  the  church,  and  the  resto 
ration  of  penitents  forgiven  by  the  church.  They 
are  to  preside  in  the  meetings  of  the  church, 
whether  for  public  worship,  or  for  the  transaction 
of  its  proper  Business.  They  are  to  be  guides  and 
leaders  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  church  admin 
istration,  but  they  cannot  perform  any  act  of  church 
power  save  with  the  concurrence  of  the  brother 
hood.  They  are  to  care  for  the  spiritual  health 
and  growth  of  individual  members,  and  to  prevent 
and  heal  such  offences  in  life  or  doctrine  as  might 
corrupt  the  church  ;  and  they  are  to  visit  and  pray 
over  their  brethren  in  sickness,  when  sent  for,  and 
at  such  other  times  as  opportunity  shall  serve. 

5.  Ths  number  of  elders  or  bishops  in  a  par 
ticular  church  is  not  prescribed,  but  is  to  be  deter 
mined  by  the  church  itself,  in  view  of  its  ability 
and  its  need.  In  the  primitive  churches,  a  plural 


25 

eldership  seems  to  have  been  the  rule,  and  not  the 
exception.  In  our  American  churches,  at  the 
beginning,  it  was  thought  needful  that  every  church 
should  have  at  least  three  elders,  of  whom  two 
were  to  labor  in  word  and  doctrine,  and  the  other 
was  to  be  associated  with  them  in  all  their  work 
as  bishops  or  overseers  of  the  flock.  While  no 
church  is  rightfully  subjected  to  any  presbytery 
exterior  to  itself,  every  church  should  have  its  own 
presbytery.  The  modern  usage,  concentrating  all 
the  powers  and  responsibilities  of  the  eldership  in 
one  person,  is  founded  on  convenience  only,  and 
is  exceptional  rather  than  normal.  Whether,  in 
stead  of  one  elder,  who,  under  the  title  of  pastor, 
performs  the  whole  work  of  the  eldership,  there 
shall  be  two  or  three,  or  more,  among  whom  the 
work  of  public  preaching  and  the  work  of  ruling 
and  oversight  shall  be  divided,  is  a  question  which 
every  church  may  determine  for  itself,  without 
infringing  any  principle  of  order. 

6.  Inasmuch  as  the  duty  of  contributing  for  suf 
fering  members,  for  the  support  and  advancement 
of  the  church,  and  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  is 
incumbent  on  all  disciples  of  Christ  according  to 
their  ability,  and  is  essential  to  the  communion  of 
saints  :  and  inasmuch  as  the  Lord's  Day  is  espe- 


26 


daily  designated  as  a  day  for  such  contributions, 
the  church  is  provided  with  officers  for  that  service. 
Deacons  are  chosen  in  every  church  to  help  the 
elders,  chiefly  by  receiving  the  contributions  and 
whatever  gifts  are  offered  to  the  church  ;  by  keep 
ing  the  treasury  of  the  church  ;  and  by  distributing 
from  it  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  especially  of  those 
in  communion,  for  the  supply  of  the  Lord's  table, 
and,  if  needful,  for  the  support  of  the  ministry. 
As  almoners  of  the  church,  they  are  to  care  for  the 
poor,  to  know  them  personally,  to  inquire  into  their 
wants  and  afflictions,  and  to  be  the  organ  of  com 
munication  between  them  and  the  brotherhood. 

7.  Other  officers  than  bishops  and  deacons  are 
not  provided  for  a  church  by  any  precept  or  exam 
ple  in  the  Scriptures.  Yet  a  church  may  designate 
any  member  or  members  to  some  definite  work  in 
its  behalf,  such  as  the  work  of  a  scribe  or  clerk, 
or  that  of  a  superintendent  or  teacher  in  its  Sab 
bath  school,  or  that  of  a  committee  for  some 
inquiry.  In  such  appointments,  the  church  insti 
tutes  no  new  order  of  officers,  but  only  distributes 
among  its  members  certain  duties  belonging  to  the 
brotherhood.  * 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  vi,  vii.  Sav.  Dec.  §§  7, 9.  Heads 
of  Agr.  ch.  i,  §§  6,  7 ;  ch.  v. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Election  and  Ordination  of  Church  Officers. 

1.  THOUGH  no  man  may  assume  an  office  in  the 
rhurch  but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  the  call  of 
bishops    and   deacons   is    not    immediately  from 
Christ,  but  mediately,  through  the  church  in  which 
they  are  to  serve. 

2.  Those  who  are  to  bear  office  in  the  church 
should  first  be  proved,  and  should  be  known  and 
well  reported  of  as  having  not   only  the  needful 
gifts,  but  also  those  grace*  of  character  which  the 
Scriptures  require  as  qualifications  of  bishops  and 
deacons. 

3.  A  church  being  free,  none  can  obtain  any 
office  in  or  over  it,  but  by  its  own  free  election ; 
yet  to  its   officers   freely  chosen  the   church  will 
yield  such  respect  and  helpfulness  as  are  required 
by  the  nature  of  the  work  which  they  are  to  per 
form. 

4.  Officers  chosen  by  the  church  are  also  to  be 
ordained  by  it  with  prayer  and,  customarily,  with 
laying  on  of  hands.     The  ordination  of  an  officer 
is  his  solemn  introduction  into  the  place  to  which 
he  has  been  chosen,  and  is  like  the  inauguration 


28 

of  a  magistrate  whose  power  in  the  commonwealth 
comes  not  from  his  inauguration  but  from  his  elec 
tion.  The  ordination  of  a  pastor  or  teacher  is  his 
induction  into  the  ministry  of  the  word ;  and  if  he 
be  afterward  dismissed  from  his  eldership  in  that 
church,  and  be  called  to  a  like  office  in  another 
church,  it  is  not,  in  the  modern  usage  of  our 
churches,  deemed  necessary  that  his  installation  in 
his  new  place  be  with  the  laying  on  of  hands. 
Yet,  so  much  the  more  do  we  protest  against  the 
superstitious  notion  that  consecration  to  the  min 
istry  by  imposition  of  hands  introduces  the  person 
into  a  hierarchical  or  priestly  order. 

5-  In  a  church  which  has  elders,  the  laying  on 
of  hands  is  to  be  performed  by  those  elders.  But 
if  the  church  be  destitute  of  elders,  then  elders  of 
other  churches,  or  ministering  brethren  not  in 
office,  or  (when  such  help  cannot  be  had)  brethren 
who  have  not  been  set  apart  to  minister  in  the 
word,  may  be  deputed  by  the  church  to  perform 
this  service  ;  and  the  laying  on  of  their  hands 
with  prayer  is  a  sufficient  induction  of  the  chosen 
elders  or  bishops,  no  less  than  of  deacons,  into 
their  office. 

6.     Neither  a  deacon,  nor  an  elder  or  bishop  is 


29 

an  officer  in-  any  other  church  than  that  which  has 
elected  him  to  his  office ;  nor  can  he  perform  offi 
cial  acts  in  another  church  otherwise  than  at  the 
invitation  of  that  church,  and  by  a  power  derived 
through  them  from  Christ ;  for  as  no  church  has 
authority  over  another,  so  no  church  can  invest  its 
officers  with  authority  over  other  churches.  * 

7.  When  a  member  of  one  church  becomes  an 
officer  in  another  church,  his  induction  into  office 
ought  not  to  be  without  the  free  concurrence  of  the 
church  with  which  he  has  been  in  covenant.  His 
formal  dismissal  from  the  one  church,  followed  by 
his  formal  reception  into  the  other,  is  the  most 
orderly  procedure.  Yet  the  consent  of  the  one  in 
a  council  or  otherwise,  to  his  induction  into  office 
by  the  other,  may  be  regarded  as  a  valid  transfer 
ence  of  his  membership.  Elders  or  bishops  as 
well  as  deacons  are  to  be  ordained  in  every  church, 
and  not  outside  of  and  distinct  from  the  churches. 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  viii-x.  Sav.  Dec.  §§  7,  u,  12. 
Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  i,  §.  6 ;  ch.  ii,  §§  3-6. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

I 

The  Maintenance  of  Church  Officers. 

1.  THE  duty  of  every  church  to  provide  an  hon 
orable  support  according  to  its  ability,  for  the  offi 
cers  who  give  their  time  and  strength  to  its  service, 
is  expressly  enjoined  in   the   Scriptures.      Every 
member  of  the  church,  in  his   place  and  in   the 
measure  of  his  ability  to  contribute,  is  responsible 
for  this  duty. 

2.  Inasmuch  as  not  only  the  covenanted  mem 
bers  of  the  church,  but  all  who  are  taught,  may  be 
reasonably  expected,  and  should  be  encouraged,  to 
bear  their  part  in  the  expense  of  building  the  house 
of  worship  and  sustaining  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
provision  is  made  by  law,  in  most  or  all  of  the 
United  States,  for  the  civil  incorporation  of  socie 
ties  or  parishes  for  the  support  of  public  worship. 
The  form  in  which  a  society  may  be  incorporated 
for  the  legal  ownership  of  ecclesiastical  property 
and  the  support  of  public  worship,  is  determined 
by  the  laws  of  the  State  ;  but  the  church,  as  a  spir 
itual  fellowship,  electing   and    ordaining   its  own 
officers,  and   worshipping   God  according  to   the 
New  Testament,  holds  its  charter  only  from  Christ, 


31 

and  may  not  surrender  its  spiritual  rights  and  pow 
ers  to  any  civil  corporation.  Therefore  the  inde 
pendence  of  the  church  in  the  choice  of  its  own 
officers,  in  all  its  discipline,  and  in  the  conduct  of 
its  worship,  must  be  steadfastly  guarded.  At  the 
same  time,  wherever  a  parish  or  ecclesiastical  soci 
ety  exists,  its  right  as  a  legal  corporation,  to  use 
and  expend,  within  the  limits  of  its  trust,  the  prop 
erty  which  it  holds  for  specific  uses,  must  be 
recognized.  While  the  church  is  at  liberty  to  elect 
whom  it  will,  and  as  many  as  it  will,  to  be  its  offi 
cers,  it  cannot,  by  its  own  authority,  require  the 
parish  to  support  them.  For  this  reason,  in  the 
election  and  settlement  of  a  pastor  or  other  officer 
who  is  to  be  supported  by  the  parish,  the  co-opera 
tion  of  the  parish  becomes  necessary.  * 

3.  The  institution  of  an  ecclesiastical  society  in 
connection  with  the  church  is  sometimes  avoided 
as  unnecessary  and  dangerous.  Sometimes,  where 
the  laws  of  the  State  permit,  the  brethren  of  the 
church  become  the  legal  corporation;  or  member 
ship  in  the  church  is  made  a  condition  of  member 
ship  in  the  society;  or  the  church  itself  becomes 
the  legal  corporation  with  the  power  of  holding 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xi. 


32 

property,  and  manages  by  its  deacons  the   secular 
affairs  connected  with  the  support  of  public  worship. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Admission  of  Members  into  the  Church,  and  Dis 
mission  of  Members  from  one  Church  to  another. 

1.  THE  things  which  are  requisite  in  all  church 
members    are  repentance  from    sin,    and   faith  in 
Jesus  Christ ;    and  therefore  these   are  the   things 
whereof  men  are  to  be  examined  at  their  admission 
into  the  church,  and  which  then  they  must  profess 
and  hold  forth  in  such  sort  as  may  satisfy  reasona 
ble  charity  that  the  things  are  there  indeed. 

2.  Those  who  desire  to   profess   their  faith  in 
Christ,  and  to  follow  him,  may  be  admitted   into 
the  church,  though  weak  in  the  faith,  because  weak 
Christians,  if  sincere,  have  the  substance  of  that 
penitent   faith  and  holiness  which  is  required  in 
church  members,  and  such  have  most  need  of  the 
ordinances  for  their   confirmation    and  growth  in 
grace.     Such  charity  and  tenderness  are  to  be  used, 
that  the  weakest  Christian,  if  sincere,  may  not  be 
excluded  or  discouraged. 

3.  It  is   not  needful    that  the  profession  of 


33 

repentance  and  faith  should  be  always  in  the  same 
form  of  words  ;  but  it  must  always  be  in  such  words 
as  are  satisfactory  to  the  church,  and  must  be 
accompanied  by  a  professed  engagement  to  walk 
with  the  church  according  to  the  gospel. 

4.  Such  personal  profession  is  required  not  only 
of  those  who  have  not  been  before  in  any  church 
relation,  but  also  of  those  who,  having  been  born 
or  baptized  and  brought  up  in  the  church,  may  be 
considered  as  in  some  sort  hereditary  members  ;  for 
they,  too,  must  credibly  show  and  profess  their  own 
repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  towards  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  before  they  come  to  the  Lord's  table, 
or  are  recognized  as  members  in  full  communion. 

5.  A  church  member,  removing  his  residence 
to  another  place,  does  not  thereby  throw  off  his 
responsibility  to  the  church  with  which  he  is  in 
covenant.     If  his  removal  is  permanent,  he  ought  to 
seek,  and,  unless  he  is  liable  to  some  just  censure 
(in    which   case   he   must    be   dealt  with   as   an 
offender),  he  has  a  right  to  receive  a  letter  of  dismis 
sion  and  commendation  to  an  Evangelical  church 
in  the  place  of  his  new  residence;  or,  if  there  be 
no  such  church  in  that  place,  to   any  such   church 
with  which  he   can   have   communion  statedly  in 


34 

Christian  ordinances.  But  his  dismission  cannot 
take  effect  till  he  shall  be  received  as  a  member  by 
the  church  to  which  he  has  been  commended. 

6.  A  church  is  not  bound  to  receive  a  member 
merely  because  of  his  dismission  and  commenda 
tion  from  another  church;  but  if  it  find  any  just 
ground  of  objection  to  him,  it  may  remit  the  case 
to  the  consideration  of  the  church  from  which  he 
came,  and  of  which  he  is  still  a  member.* 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Method  of  Dealing  with  Offenders. 
i.  THE  censures  of  the  church  are  appointed 
for  the  prevention  and  removal  of  offences  and  the 
recovering  of  offenders;  for  purging  out  the  leaven 
which  may  infect  the  whole  lilmp;  for  vindicating 
the  honor  of  Christ  and  of  his  church,  and  the  pro 
fession  of  the  gospel;  and  for  preventing  the  dis 
pleasure  of  God  that  may  justly  fall  upon  the  church 
if  they  suffer  his  covenant  to  be  profaned  by  noto 
rious  and  obstinate  offenders. 

*  Compare  Camb.  PL   ch.  xii,  xiii.      Sav.  Dec.  §§   17,  20, 
28.     Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  i,  §§  3,  8,  9. 


35 

2.  Censures  in  the  church  are  of  two  sorts,  — 
admonition  and  excommunication. 

3.  If  an  offence  be  private,  one  brother  tres 
passing  against  another,  the  offender  is  to  acknowl 
edge  his  repentance  of  it  unto  his  offended  brother, 
who  is  then  to  forgive  him.     But  if  the   offender 
neglect  or  refuse  to  do  this,  then  (i)  the  brother 
offended  is  to  go  and  admonish  him  privately,  be 
tween  themselves.     If  thereupon  the  offender  be 
brought  to  repent  of  his  offence,  the  admonisher 
hath  won  his  brother.     But  if  the  offender  hear  not 
his  brother,  then  (2)  the  offended  is  to  take  with 
him  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or 
three  witnesses   every   word  may  be   established, 
whether  the   word  of  admonition  if  the  offender 
receive  it,  or  the  word  of  complaint  if  he  refuse. 
(3)  If  the  offender  be  not  recovered  by  that  second 
admonition,  the  offended  brother  is  then  to  tell  the 
church.     If  the  church  find  that  the  complaint  is 
well  founded,  it  admonishes  the  offender  ;  and  then 
if  he  hear  the  church,  and  penitently  confess  his 
fault,  he  is  recovered  and  gained,  and  is  to  be  for 
given.      But   if,  after  being   admonished    by    the 
church,  he  be  not  yet  convinced  of  his  fault,  and 
ready  to  profess,  frankly,  his  repentance  of  it,  he 


remains  tinder  the  censure  of  admonition,  which  of 
itself  excludes  or  suspends  him  from  the  holy  fel 
lowship  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  till  either  the  offence 
is  removed  by  his  penitent  confession,  or  the 
church,  after  reasonable  forbearance,  proceeds  to 
cast  him  out  by  excommunication. 

4.  When  the  offence  is  already  public  and  noto 
rious,  and  is  of  such  a  character  as  to  be  infamous 
among  men,  a  more  summary  proceeding  is  author 
ized  by  the  Scriptures.     The  church,  without  wait 
ing  for  an  individual  complaint,  or  for  the  effect  of 
private  admonition,  may  take  notice  of  the  notori 
ous  fact,  and  cast  out  the  offender  without  delay, 
for  the  mortifying  of  his  sin  and  the  saving  of  his 
soul  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  well  as  for 
the  vindication  of  the  gospel  which  he  has  dishon 
ored.     Yet  no  offender  may  be  censured  without 
trial  and  the  opportunity  of  being  heard. 

5.  In  dealing  with  an  offender,  great  care  is  to 
be  taken  that  we  be  neither  too  rigorous  nor  too 
indulgent.     Our  proceeding  ought   to   be  with  a 
spirit  of  meekness,  considering  ourselves  lest  we 
also   be  tempted.     Yet,  the  winning  and  healing 
of  the  offender's  soul  being  the  end  of  these  en 
deavors,  we   must  be  earnest   and   thorough,  not 
healing  the  wounds  of  our  brethren  slightly. 


37 

6.  While  the  offender  remains  excommunicated, 
the  church  and  all  its  members  are  to  refrain  from 
all  communion  with  him  in  spiritual  things ;  yet, 
while  there  may  be  any  hope  of  his  recovery,  they 
are  to  be  kindly  watchful  for  signs  of  repentance 
in  him ;  not  counting  him  an  enemy,  but  admon 
ishing  him  as  a  brother. 

7.  If  the  censure  be  made  effectual  by  the  grace 
of   Christ,   so    that  the   excommunicated   person 
repents  of  his  sin,  and  with  confession  desires  to 
be  restored,  the  church  is   thereupon   to   forgive 
him ;  and,  as  the  censure  was  public,  he  is  to  be 
publicly  absolved  or  loosed  from  the  censure,  and 
restored  to  full  communion. 

8.  It  is  doubtless  of  great   importance  to  the 
welfare  of  the  church,  that  profane  and  scandalous 
persons  be  not  permitted  to  continue  in  its  fellow 
ship  and  to  partake  at  the  Lord's  table  ;  and  the 
church  which  neglects  to  deal  with  such  members, 
and  to  use  the  discipline  of  the  Lord's  house  for 
their  reformation  or  their  exclusion,  is  greatly  to 
be  blamed.     Yet  such  a  church  is  not  therefore  to 
be  immediately  forsaken  and  renounced  by  those 
who  would  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus.     Nor  is  it 
reasonable   that   any  individual   member  of  that 


38 

church  should  therefore  withdraw  himself  from  the 
Lord's  table.  In  so  doing,  he  wrongs  his  own  soul 
by  denying  to  himself  the  appointed  means  of 
grace,  and  wrongs  the  church  by  adding  another 
scandal  to  that  which  he  would  rebuke.  Let  him 
rather  endeavor,  modestly  and  seasonably,  accord 
ing  to  his  power  and  place,  that  the  unworthy  may 
be  duly  proceeded  against  by  the  church  to  whom 
that  duty  belongs.* 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Relation  of  the  Church  to  Civil  Government,  and  the 

Conflict  of  Laws. 

i.  THE  right  of  the  church  to  assemble  for  wor 
ship,  to  observe  Christ's  ordinances,  to  hold  forth 
the  word  of  life  by  public  preaching  and  by  private 
communication,  to  receive  into  its  communion 
those  who  give  evidence  of  repentance  and  faith, 
and  to  admonish  offenders  or  exclude  them,  is  not 
a  mere  concession  from  the  civil  power,  but  is  part 
of  that  religious  liberty  which  Christ,  by  command 
ing  his  gospel  to  be  preached  to  every  creature, 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xiv.    Sav.  Dec.  §§  18,  19.    Heads 
of  Agr.  ch.  iii. 


39 

challenges  for  all  men,  and  which  no  human  gov 
ernment  can  suppress  or  violate,  without  incurring 
the  displeasure  of  God. 

2.  The  law  which  the  church  administers  in  its 
discipline  is  not  merely  the  law  of  the  land,  nor  the 
law  of  common  use  and  opinion,  but  the  higher 
law  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  ;  for  that 
which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  conformed 
to  this  world  may  be  abominable  to  God  and  to 
men  enlightened  by  his  word  and  Spirit.  If  wick 
edness  go  unpunished  in  the  civil  state,  or  be  even 
honored  by  public  opinion,  it  is  not  therefore  to  be 
tolerated  in  the  church.  If  the  law  of  the  land 
require  of  any  man,  under  whatever  penalties,  that 
which  the  law  of  God  forbids  him  to  do,  or  if  it 
forbid  him  to  do  what  the  law  of  God  requires,  it 
is  better  to  obey  God  rather  than  men  ;  and  the 
church  is  to  require  of  all  its  members  obedience 
to  the  higher  law  of  God.  Yet,  inasmuch  as  the 
Scriptures  require  of  every  Christian  soul  subjec 
tion  to  existing  powers  in  the  civil  state,  whether 
Christian  or  anti-Christian,  the  duty  of  loyalty  to  the 
government,  of  conscientious  obedience  to  every 
law  which  does  not  positively  require  what  God 
forbids  or  forbid  what  God  requires,  and  of  patient 


40 

submission  to  persecution  or  other  injustice  when 
there  is  no  lawful  redress,  is  a  duty  of  religion 
which  the  discipline  of  the  church  must  honor  and 
maintain. 

3.  With  matters  exclusively  political  the  church 
as  such  has  no  concern ;  for  Christ's  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world.  But  with  matters  of  morality 
and  religion,  the  church,  in  the  administration  of 
its  discipline,  and  in  the  testimony  which  it  is  to 
give  for  God,  has  much  to  do.  Especially  in  a  free 
commonwealth,  where  the  government  proceeds 
continually  from  the  people,  the  church  is  bound 
to  testify,  in  its  discipline  and  in  its  teaching, 
against  wicked  laws  and  institutions,  not  fearing  to 
assert  and  apply  the«law  of  God  as  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures,  whatever  may  be  the  contradiction  of 
sinners,  and  whatever  the  conflict  between  that 
supreme  law  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  laws 
ordained  of  men,  or  the  institutions  and  usages  of 
society.  Thus  the  moral  sense  of  communities 
and  nations  must  be  corrected  and  enlightened, 
and  must  be  made  to  advance  with  the  progress 
of  the  church,  till  Christ  shall  be  honored  in  all 
lands  as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  the 
blessed  and  only  Potentate.* 

*  Compare  Camb.  PL  ch.  xvii.     Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  vil 


PART  III. 
THE   COMMUNION  OF  CHURCHES. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Principles  and  Specifications. 

1.  ALTHOUGH  churches  are  distinct,  and  there 
fore  may   not  be  confounded   one  with   another ; 
and  equal,  and  therefore  have  not  dominion  one 
over  another ;  yet  all  the  churches  ought  to  pre 
serve  church  communion  one  with  another,  because 
they  are  all  united  to  Christ  as  integral  parts  of 
his  one  Catholic  Church,  Militant  against  the  evil 
that  is  in  the  world,  and  Visible  in  the  profession 
of  the  Christian  faith,  in  the   observance  of  the 
Christian  sacraments,  in  the  manifestation  of  the 
Christian  life,  and  in  the  worship  of  the  one  God 
of  our  salvation,  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost.* 

2.  The  communion  of  churches  with  each  other 
is  manifested  in  various  acts  of  fraternal  comity, 
correspondence,  and  helpfulness : 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xv,  §  I. 


42 

(i.)  In  mutual  recognition  ;  one  organized  con 
gregation  of  Christian  worshippers  acknowledging 
another  to  be  a  visible  church  of  Christ,  and  each 
professing  a  readiness  to  interchange  with  the 
other  all  reasonable  acts  of  Christian  courtesy  and 
love. 

(2.)  In  admitting  members  of  one  church  to 
commune,  as  such,  at  the  Lord's  table  in  another 
church,  and  refusing  to  admit  them  if  they  are 
under  censure. 

(3.)  In  permitting  and  inviting  a  minister  of 
the  word,  recognized  and  accredited  as  such  by 
one  church,  to  speak  for  Christ  in  another  church. 

(4.)  In  the  dismission  and  reception  of  mem 
bers,  when  for  any  sufficient  reason,  they  pass  from 
one  church  to  another. 

(5.)  In  giving  and  receiving  advice  when  one 
church  desires  counsel  of  another,  or  of  many 
others. 

(6.)  In  giving  and  receiving  help ;  as  when  one 
church  gives  of  its  members  that  another  may  be 
supplied  with  officers  ;  or,  as  when  one  church 
receives  outward  support  from  the  contributions  of 
another,  or  of  many  others. 

(7.)     In  consultation  and  co-operation  for  each 


43 


other's  edification  and  prosperity,  or  for  the  com 
mon  interest  of  the  gospel. 

(8.)  In  giving  and  receiving  admonition;  : 
when  there  is  found  in  a  church  some  public  offence 
which  it  either  does  not  discern,  or  neglects  to 
remove;  for  though  churches  have  no  more  authority 
one  over  another  than  one  apostle  had  over  another, 
yet  as  one  apostle  might  admonish  another,  so  may 
one  church  admonish  another,  without  usurpation; 
in  which  case,  if  the  admonished  church  refuse  to 
hear  its  neighbor  church  and  to  remove  the  offence, 
it  violates  the  communion  of  churches.* 

3.    The  churches  of  the  Congregational  polity,  as 
integral  portions  of  Christ's  catholic  Church,  main- 
taihafl  practicable  communion  with  all  other  por 
tions  of  the  Church  universal.  While  other  churches 
differ  from   us  in  their  internal  pdlity,   in  the,, 
relations  and  connections  with  each  other,  in  then 
forms  of  worship,  or  in  the  uninspired  statements 
and  definitions  of  doctrines  disputed  among  C 
tians,  and  while  we  disown  their  schemes  of 
rarchical  or  synoclical  government,  we  acknowle 
as  particular  churches  of  Christ  all  congregatic 
of  Christian  worshippers  that  acknowledge  i 
»  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xv,  §  2. 


44 

Scriptures  as  their  supreme  rule  of  faith  and  prac 
tice,  and  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.     We  pray  for  their  peace 
and  prosperity.     We  invite  their  members  to  occa 
sional  communion  with  us  in  worship  and  in  sac 
ramental  ordinances.     We  receive  their  letters  of 
dismissal  and  commendation,  and,  in  return,  dis 
miss  our  members,  as  occasion  may  require,  with 
letters  of  commendation  to  them.     We  are  ready 
to  be  edified  by  their  ministers.     And,  in  all  rea 
sonable  and  hopeful  methods,  we  are  ready  to  con 
sult  and  co-operate  with  them  for  the  advancement 
of  the  gospel.* 

4.  As  some  acts  of  the  communion  of  the 
churches  are  due,  in  one  degree  and  another,  ,to  all 
the  integral  parts  of  Christ's  catholic  Church,  so 
other  acts  of-  communion  are  specially  due  from 
churches  instituted  and  governed  according  to  the 
Congregational  polity  to  other  churches  insti 
tuted  and  governed  according  to  the  same  pol 
ity.  Certain  acts  of  communion  are  not  practi 
cable  between  churches  congregationally  governed 
and  churches  that  are  under  a  hierarchical  or 
synodical  government  ;  and  certain  acts  of  com- 
*  Compare  Sav.  Dec.  §  29. 


45 

munion  are  not  practicable  between  churches  which 
seriously  differ  from  each  other  in  the  systems  of 
doctrine  which  they  deduce,  respectively,  from  the 
Scriptures,  even  though  they  recognize  each  other 
as  holding  that  faith  which  is  necessary  to  salva 
tion.  A  church  desiring  the  approbation  and  assis 
tance  of  other  churches  in  the  .ordination  of  its 
officers  cannot  wisely  or  courteously  ask  such 
approbation  and  assistance  from  churches  in  whose 
professed  theory  of  government  all  ordinations  must 
be  by  a  prelate,  or  in  whose  theory  the  power  of  ordi 
nation  is  given  only  to  a  presbytery  ruling  over  many 
congregations.  In  like  manner,  if  it  desire  counsel 
in  any  case  involving  questions  of  doctrine,it  cannot 
wisely  or  courteously  ask  such  counsel  of  churches 
not  accepting  that  general  system  of  doctrines 
which  is  the  well-known  basis  of  mutual  confi 
dence  and  intimate  communion  among  evangelical 
churches  of  the  Congregational  polity. 

5.  The  more  intimate  communion  existing  among 
these  churches  is  exercised  in  asking  and  giving 
counsel,  in  giving  and  receiving  admonition,  in 
various  acts  of  helpfulness  towards  churches  need 
ing  help  from  others,  and  in  conferences  and  con 
sultations  for  the  parochial  revival  and  prosperity 


46 

of  religion,  or  the  general  advancement  of  Christ's 
kingdom.* 

•   ».--„  •    X 

CHAPTER  II. 

Councils. 

i.  COUNCILS  of  churches,  orderly  assembled,  to 
declare  the  opinion  of  the  churches  on  any  matter 
of  common  concern,  are  important  to  the  commun 
ion  of  the  churches.  That  scriptural  example  where 
the  church  at  Antioch  sent  messengers  to  the 
church  at  Jerusalem  for  consultation  and  advice  in 
a  difficult  question,  is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  such 
councils.  In  respect  to  the  calling  of  councils,  the 
manner  of  their  proceeding,  and  the  authority  con 
ceded  to  them,  the  usage  of  the  churches,  guided 
by  the  Scriptures,  and  those  principles  of  equity 
and  wisdom  which  the  Scriptures  recognize,  has 
established  certain  rules  tending  to  order  in  the 
despatch  of  business,  to  the  avoidance  of  unneces 
sary  strifes,  and  to  the  edification  of  the  churches. 

2.  The  churches  invited  to  assist  in  a  council 
are  represented  by  messengers  or  delegates  chosen 
by  them  for  the  particular  occasion.  By  ancient 

*  Compare  Sav.  Dec.  §§  25-27.    Pleads  of  Agr.  ch.  i  v,  vi. 


47 

usage,  the  pastor  of  a  church,  having  been  duly 
recognized  as  its  presiding  elder  or  bishop,  is 
always  expected  to  be  one  of  its  messengers;  and 
the  letters  convening  the  council  invite  each  church 
to  be  represented  by  its  pastor  and  delegate.  Yet 
in  the  council,  when  convened,  there  is  no  distinc 
tion  of  authority  between  pastors  and  other  dele 
gates.* 

3.  It  is  manifest,  from  the  reason  of  the  case, 
that  in  ordinary  cases  a  council  ought  to  be  made 
up  chiefly  of  churches  in  the  near  vicinity.     But 
when  a  council  is  called  to  advise  in  some  personal 
or  parochial  controversy  which  involves  strong  sym 
pathies  and  interests  in  the  surrounding  region,  it 
may  be  expedient  to  ask  counsel  from  more  distant 
churches  rather  than  exclusively  from  those  near 
at  hand. 

4.  A  council  is  to  be  called  only  by  a  church,  or 
by  an  aggrieved  member  or  members  in  a  church 
which  has  unreasonably  refused  a  council,  or  by  a 
competent   number  of  believers  intending  to  be 
gathered  into  a  church.     In  a  difficulty  or  contro 
versy  between  the  church  and  its  elder  or  elders, 
or  between  the  church  and  some  other  person  or 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xvi,  §  6. 


48 

party  in  the  church,  if  a  council  is  desired,  and 
the  church  consents,  the  churches  to  constitute 
the  council  are  selected  by  agreement  between  the 
parties,  and  are  invited  by  letters-missive  from  the 
church ;  and  this  is  called  a  mutual  council.  If  a 
church  unreasonably  refuses  to  call  a  mutual  coun 
cil  (the  matter  of  grievance,  on  which  the  advice 
of  other  churches  seems  desirable,  having  been  dis 
tinctly  stated  in  connection  with  the  request  for 
such  a  council),  then  an  ex  parte  council  may  be 
invited  by  letters-missive  from  the  aggrieved  mem- 
t>er  or  members. 

5.  An  ex  parte  council,  properly  called,  has  the 
same  standing,  and  is  entitled  to  the  same  respect, 
as  a  mutual  council ;  for  it  were  unreasonable  that, 
in  case  of  grievance,  either  party  should  be  de 
prived,  by  the  obstinacy  of  the  other,  of  such  relief 
as  the  neighboring  churches  could  give.  But  that 
it  may  be  properly  convened,  it  is  requisite,  (i) 
that  there  be  proper  ground  for  calling  a  council ; 
(2)  that  one  party,  properly  requested,  has  un 
reasonably  refused  to  join  in  calling  a  mutual  coun 
cil  ;  (3)  that  the  ex  parte  council  be  called,  upon 
the  statement  of  the  original  grounds  for  asking  a 
council,  and  of  the  unreasonable  refusal  of  the 


49 

other  party  to  join  j  and,  (4)  that  the  churches  in 
vited  be  impartially  selected.  When  assembled, 
the  ex.parte  council  should  first  offer  itself  to  the 
refusing  party  as  a  mutual  council. 

6.  Councils,   ordinarily   and    fitly,   consist   of 
churches  invited    and  consenting;   though  some 
times  individuals  whose  advice  or  aid  in  the  coun 
cil  is   deemed   important   are   personally  invited. 
After  being  called,  no  church  or  person  can  be 
added  to  or  taken  from  the  proper  members  in  any 
manner.     For  the  letters-missive  having  specified 
the  churches  and  persons  invited,  and  the  matters 
to  be  laid  before  the  council,  each  church  appointed 
its  delegates  upon  its  knowledge  of  the  questions 
on  which  its  advice  was  requested,  and  of  those 
churches  or  individuals  with  whom  it  was  to  be 
associated  in  giving  advice.     Nor,  for  the   same 
reason,  can  the  council  act  on  any  matters  which 
are  not  distinctly  stated  in  the  letters-missive. 

7.  Councils  are  not  to  be  convened  upon  every 
ground   of  dissatisfaction  with  a   church,  nor   in 
cases   of  light  moment.     They   are  proper  only 
upon   some    matter  of   common   interest   to   the 
churches  ;  such  as  relations  of  fellowship  between 
churches,  or  the  relation  of  a  member  to  the  com- 

\ 


50 

munion  of  other  churches  ;  the  relations  of  pastors 
and  churches  ;  the  reputation  of  the  brotherhood 
of  churches,  as  affected  by  the  acts  or  condition  of 
a  church  ;  or  matters  of  general  interest  to  the 
cause  of  Christ.  They  are  in  no  such  sense  courts 
of  appeal  that  they  may  alter  or  rescind  any  act  of 
a  church.  Yet  in  cases  of  censure,  if  the  proceed 
ings  complained  of  are  found  to  have  been  in  gross 
violation  of  the  rules  given  in  the  Scriptures,  the 
council  may  advise  and  declare  that  in  its  judg 
ment  the  censure  complained  of  is  wrong,  and  may 
commend  the  censured  person  to  be  received  by 
some  other  church  as  a  member  in  full  communion. 

Particular  occasions  for  councils  are  such  as 
these  :  — 

(i.)  When  a  competent  number  of  Christian 
brethren  propose  to  unite  in  a  church  covenant, 
and  desire  to  be  recognized  as  a  church  in  the 
more  intimate  communion  of  the  Congregational 
churches,  the  ordinary  and  most  orderly  method 
of  obtaining  such  recognition  is  by  an  ecclesiasti 
cal  council,  invited  for  that  purpose  by  their  letters 
to  a  convenient  number  of  churches,  and  especially 
of  churches  in  the  near  vicinity.  Having  given  to 
that  council,  when  assembled,  a  satisfactory  state- 


ment  of  their  faith  and  order,  and  of  the  reasons 
for  their  becoming  a  distinct  church,  together  with 
sufficient  evidence  not  only  of  their  Christian  char 
acter,  but  also  of  their  fitness  in  respect  to  gifts 
and  numbers  for  performing  the  duties  of  a  church, 
they  receive  as  a  church  the  right  hand  of  fellow 
ship  extended  to  them  by  the  council  in  behalf  of 
all  the  churches.* 

(2.)  The  induction  of  a  pastor  or  teacher  into 
his  office,  in  any  church,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
dismission  of  such  an  officer  from  his  place,  con 
cerns  the  communion  of  the  churches.  Therefore, 
an  ecclesiastical  council  is  convened  for  the  ordi 
nation  or  public  recognition  of  a  pastor,  and,  in 
like  manner,  for  his  dismission  at  his  own  request. 
A  due  respect  to  the  communion  of  the  churches 
requires  that  no  man  assuming  to  be  a  pastor  of  a 
church  shall  be  acknowledged  as  such  by  other 
churches,  unless,  at  or  after  his  entrance  on  the 
duties  of  the  office,  he  has  been  publicly  recognized 
by  receiving  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  from 
neighboring  churches  through  a  council  convened 
for  that  purpose.  The  welfare  of  the  churches,  in 
their  intimate  communion  with  each  other,  requires 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xv,  §  3. 


52 

this  safeguard.  In  like  manner,  the  communion  of 
churches  requires  that  no  minister  dismissed  from 
his  charge  shall  be  regarded  as  having  sufficient 
credentials  of  his  good  standing  unless  he  is  duly 
commended  by  a  council  convened  on  the  occasion 
of  his  dismission.  * 

(3.)  When  difficulties,  whether  internal  or  ex 
ternal,  threaten  the  peace  and  spiritual  prosperity 
of  any  church,  and  are  not  likely  to  be  adjusted 
without  aid,  or  when  any  question  arises  on  which 
the  church  needs  advice  for  the  guidance  and  cor 
rection,  or  confirmation,  of  its  own  judgment,  that 
church  has  a  right  to  ask  the  advice  of  other 
churches  with  which  it  is  in  communion.  To  such 
an  advisory  council  the  trial  of  a  difficult  case  is 
sometimes  referred.  The  council,  having  exam 
ined  the  questions  referred  to  it,  whether  questions 
of  fact  or  questions  of  principle  and  duty,  pro 
nounces  its  conclusions  \  but  it  has  no  power  to 
inflict  any  church  censure,  or  to  absolve  from  cen 
sure.  It  can  only  advise  the  church  ;  and  the 
church,  by  accepting  and  adopting  the  result  of 
the  council,  carries  the  advice  into  effect. 

(4.)    When  a  member   against  whom   charges 
*  Compare  Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  ii,  §§  4-6 


53 

have  been  preferred,  requests  the  calling  of  a  coun 
cil  for  the  trial  of  those  charges,  and  the  church 
consents  to  the  request,  or  when,  in  any  manner, 
parties  have  arisen  who  desire  a  council  for  the 
hearing  of  the  questions  between  them,  the 
churches  to  constitute  the  council  are  mutually 
agreed  upon  between  the  parties.  Yet  a  mutual 
council  is  not  convened  in  the  name  of  the  parties, 
but  in  the  name  of  the  church.  In  such  cases,  a 
refusal  on  the  part  of  the  church  to  call  a  council 
before  trial,  or  at  the  request  of  such  parties,  does 
not  give  any  occasion  for  an  ex  parte  council 

(5.)  When  a  member,  having  been  excommu 
nicated  or  excluded  by  the  church,  conscientiously 
protests  that  the  censure  or  exclusion  is  not  ac 
cording  to  the  facts,  or  that  it  is  not  warranted  by 
the  word  of  God,  he  may  respectfully  ask  the 
church  to  join  with  him  in  calling  a  mutual  council 
for  a  new  hearing  of  his  case ;  and,  that  request 
being  denied  by  the  church  without  sufficient 
reason,  he  may  appeal  to  other  churches  for  ad 
vice,  and  for  such  relief  as  they  may  find  reason  to 
give  him,  and  may  invite  them  to  meet  in  an  ex 
parte  council.  Or  when  a  portion  of  any  church 
has  been  seriously  aggrieved  by  such  action  or 


54 

non-action  of  the  church  as  causes  public  scandal 
to  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  their  request  for  a 
council  has  been  denied  by  the  church,  they  may 
in  like  manner  appeal  to  other  churches  for  a  hear 
ing  of  their  cause  and  for  advice  concerning  their 
duty.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  mere.dif- 
ference  in  judgment  between  a  church  and  any 
minority  of  its  members,  on  a  question  of  expedi 
ency  or  a  matter  of  doubtful  disputation,  is  neither 
'a  grievance  to  the  minority,  nor  a  scandal  calling 
for  fraternal  admonition  or  advice  from  other 
churches. 

(6.)  When  a  member  liable  to  no  just  censure 
has  requested  letters  of  dismission  and  recommen 
dation  to  some  other  recognized  church,  and  the 
request  is  refused,  he  may  request  the  church  to 
invite  a  council  to  hear  the  case ;  and,  if  the  church 
refuses,  he  may  himself  ask  a  council  to  give  him 
relief. 

(7-)  When  a  pastor  or  other  ordained  minister 
in  any  church  is  charged  with  offences  which  would 
render  it  proper  that  he  be  deposed  from  the  min 
istry,  then  the  church  should  invite  a  council  to 
examine  the  charges  ;  if  they  be  proven,  the  coun 
cil  should  advise  that  he  be  no  longer  recognized 


55 

as  a  Christian  minister.  The  decision  of  the  coun 
cil  in  such  a  case  is  binding  and  conclusive.  A 
second  council  cannot  revise  it,  unless  by  consent 
of  both  parties,  the  church  and  the  accused  ;  and 
courts  of  law  will  act  upon  it  without  inquiry  into 
its  correctness. 

8.  The    council,    when    assembled,   organizes 
itself  by  the  choice  of  a  moderator  and  scribe,  that 
its  proceedings  may  be  orderly  and  deliberate,  and 
may  be  duly  written  down  for  the  use  of  those 
whom  the  result  concerns.     If  a  majority  of  the 
churches  invited  be  not  represented,  those  present 

ought  not  to  proceed  as  a  council  unless  the  party 
f\ 

inviting  consents.  Being  a  representative  body, 
its  functions  are  limited  to  the  subjects  specified 
in  the  letters-missive.  In  voting,  it  was  an  ancient 
and  laudable  custom  that  each  church  give  its 
voice  as  a  church,  and  not  that  the  messengers 
vote  as  individuals ;  but  this  custom  is  not  univer 
sal.  Having  properly  deliberated,  and  made  up 
its  decision,  the  council  is  forthwith  to  be  dis 
solved  ;  and  the  scribe  is  to  convey  a  copy  of  its 
proceedings  and  advice  to  the  parties  concerned. 

9.  The  decision  of  a  council  is,  in  most  cases, 
only  advisory.     Yet,  even  when  the  parties  have 


56 

not  bound  themselves  beforehand  to  be  governed 
by  the  advice  of  council,  the  decision,  if  not  con 
trary  to  the  Scriptures,  is  to  be  reverently  accepted 
as  the  voice  of  the  churches,  and  as  the  reasona 
ble  and  divinely  warranted  means  of  terminating 
differences  that  might  otherwise  work  interminable 
mischief.  * 

10.  When   a   council,  properly  convened   and 
orderly  proceeding,  whether  mutual  or  ex  parte,  has 
pronounced  its  advice,  a  second  council  upon  the 
substance  of  the  same  questions,  or  upon  the  advice 
of  the  first,  is  manifestly  improper.     If  both  parties 
desire  further  light,  they  may  agree   thereto.     But, 
if  one  refuse,  an  ex parte  council  is  in  that  case  not 
warranted,  and  is  manifestly  disorderly.  * 

11.  A  council  orderly  assembled  to  advise  con 
cerning  the  acts  and  administrations  of  a  church,  and 
finding  that  such  church  deliberately  receives  and 
maintains  doctrines  which  subvert  the  foundations 
of  the  Christian  faith,  or  that  it  wilfully  tolerates 
and  upholds  notorious  scandals,  or  that  it  persist 
ently  disregards  and  contemns  the  communion  of 
churches,    may,  after   fit   admonition,   advise  the 
churches  to  withhold  from  that  erring  church  all 

*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xvi,  §  5. 


57 

acts  of  communion  till  it  shall  give  evidence  of 
reformation.  Any  church,  after  due  admonition, 
may  call  a  council  to  advise  in  such  a  case.* 

12.  Some  Congregational  churches,  neighbor 
ing  to  each  other,  are  confederated,  more  or  less 
strictly,  for  mutual  assistance  in  cases  which  require 
a  council.  Such  confederations,  whether  under 
the  name  of  consociation  or  convention,  may  be 
useful  if  they  duly  recognize-  and  guard  the  princi 
ple  that  the  power  of  inflicting  church  censures  and 
of  absolving  from  censure,  and  the  power  of  choos 
ing  and  ordaining  officers,  and  of  removing  them 
from  office  for  good  cause,  reside,  under  Christ,  in 
the  particular  church,  and  not  in  some  ecclesiasti 
cal  authority  extrinsic  to  the  church  •  and  the  cog 
nate  principle,  that  councils,  however  constituted, 
are  for  the  communion  of  churches  with  each 
other,  and  not  for  government  over  the  churches. 

CHAPTER   III. 

CONFERENCES     OF    CHURCHES. 

i.     It  is  fit  and  convenient  for  the  churches  of 
a  neighborhood  to  meet   sometimes,  by  their  pas 
tors  and  delegates,  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  to 
*  Compare  Camb.  PI.  ch.  xv,  §  2. 


58 

each  other  their  spiritual  prosperity  and  progress, 
and  of  consulting  together  how  to  advance  the 
cause  and  kingdom  of  Christ.  Such  meetings  are 
commonly  called  Conferences  of  Churches,  and  are 
distinguished  from  other  councils  in  that  they  have 
nothing  to  do  with  giving  advice  to  any  particular 
church  concerning  the  ordination  or  dismission  of 
any  of  its  officers,  or  concerning  the  administration 
of  its  government.  They  meet  only  for  mutual 
information  and  inquiry,  that  through  them  the 
churches  may  provoke  each  other  to  love  and 
to  good  works. 

2.  Conferences   of  churches   are   either   occa 
sional  or  stated.     Any  church  may  invite  neighbor 
ing  churches,  more  or  fewer,  at  its  own  discretion, 
to  meet  with  it  for  mutual  edification  and  inquiry. 
Or  a  number  of  churches  may  associate  to  hold 
such  conferences  at  fixed  periods  and  under  defi 
nite  regulations.   Stated  conferences  of  the  churches 
have  been  greatly  useful  in  promoting  zeal  and 
Christian  activity,  and  in  making  the  gifts  of  one 
church  subserve  the  edification  of  others. 

3.  In  most  of  the  United   States,   the   several 
conferences  are  associated  in  a  General  Conference 
or  Association  of  the  churches,  which  institutes  a 


59 

careful  inquiry  every  year,  and  makes  its  report 
concerning  the  general  prosperity  and  progress  of 
the  churches  throughout  the  State. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Synods  or  National  Councils. 

1.  Occasions    may    arise    in   the  progress  of 
Christ's  kingdom,  when  a  representative  assembly 
of  churches,  coming  together  for  consultation  and 
agreement   and  for  testimony,  is  required,  which 
shall  be  larger  in  its  numbers   than    any   council 
such  as  a  single  church  can  convene   for  its   own 
need,  and  larger  in  its  constituency  than  any  stated 
conference  of  churches.  Such  synods  were  required, 
and  were  held  at  sundry  times,  when  the  fathers  of 
our  churches  were  laying  the  foundations  on  which 
many  generations  were  to  build. 

2.  A  synod  cannot  be  constituted  by  any  num 
ber  of  unauthorized  individuals  assuming  to  repre 
sent  the  churches.     The   express  consent   of  the 
churches,  acting  severally,  in  their  self-government 
under  Christ,   recognizing  the   call,  and   sending 
forth  their  elders  and   other  messengers,   is   what 
constitutes  the   synod  as  a  representative  body. 


6o 


An  assembly  thus  constituted  by  the  joint  action  of 
many  churches,  and  coming  together,  not  for  strife 
and  contention,  but  for  devout  and  earnest  consul 
tation  concerning  things  that  pertain  to  the  king 
dom  of  God,  may  be  expected  to  have  much  of 
those  gracious  influences,  and  of  that  guidance  by 
the  Holy  Comforter,  in  which  Christ  fulfils  his 
promises  :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world  "  j  and  "  Where  two  or  three 
are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in 
the  midst  of  them." 

3.  The  calling  of  such  a  synod  ought  not  to  pro 
ceed  from  the  mere  will  or  motion  of  unauthorized 
individuals,  nor  from  the  mere  motion  of  any  one 
church  acting  without  consultation.  When  the 
elders  and  other  messengers  of  any  considerable 
body  of  churches,  coming  together  in  a  representa 
tive  assembly,  such  as  the  General  Conference  or 
General  Association  of  a  State,  are  convinced  that 
an  occasion  has  arisen  which  requires  a  national 
synod  or  council,  they  may  reasonably  institute 
inquiries  by  correspondence  with  other  similar 
bodies ;  and  if,  after  such  correspondence  and 
conference  as  may  conveniently  be  had,  the  con 
viction  is  strengthened  and  extended,  that,  in  the 


6i 


providence  of  God,  there  is  a  call  upon  the  churches 
to  confer  with  each  other  in  a  national  council,  the 
arrangements  may  be  made,  and  the  invitation 
issued  by  such  persons  as  shall  have  been  desig 
nated  to  that  service  by  common  consent  in  the 
preliminary  consultations.  The  invitation  should 
be  addressed,  not  to  associations  or  conferences 
purporting  to  represent  the  churches,  but  distinctly 
to  each  several  church,  so  that  the  ultimate  deter 
mination  of  the  question  shall  proceed  directly 
from  the  churches  themselves ;  and  every  church 
shall  have  the  opportunity  of  consenting  or  with 
holding  its  consent  according  to  the  wisdom  given 
to  it  from  above. 

4.  The  proper  function  of  a  synod  is  not  to 
legislate  for  the  churches,  nor  to  determine  impera 
tively  any  question  which  is  not  already  deter 
mined  by  the  Scriptures,  but  by  inquiry  and 
brotherly  conference,  with  prayer  for  divine  illu 
mination,  to  obtain  and  hold  forth  light  on  such 
matters  as  the  churches  have  referred  to  its  delib 
erations.  A  synod,  as  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses, 
may  properly  testify  in  behalf  of  the  constituent 
churches,  not  only  their  common  faith  in  Christ 
their  Saviour,  but  what  is  the  system  of  Christian 


62 

doctrine,  and  what  the  system  and  theory  of  eccle 
siastical  administration,  which  are  the  basis  of 
their  special  communion  one  with  another  as 
churches  walking  in  the  order  of  the  New  Testa 
ment. 

[5.  In  accordance  with  these  principles,  the 
evangelical  churches  called  Congregational  (other 
churches  of  the  same  polity  being  known  by  other 
names)  have,  with  general  consent,  associated 
themselves  under  a  constitution  which  provides  for 
the  holding  of  a  National  Council  every  third  year, 
beginning  with  the  year  of  our  Lord  1871.]  * 

CHAPTER  V. 

Confessions  of  Faith. 

1.  NEITHER  Christ  nor  his  apostles  prescribed 
any  form  of  words  to  be  imposed  on  disciples,  or 
on  churches,  for  the  confessing  of  their  faith.     Had 
such  a  form  been  given,  it  would  have  become  a 
part  of  the  canonical  Scriptures. 

2.  Every  church  is  to  judge  for  itself  whether 
the  form  of  words  offered  or  adopted  as  a  confes 
sion  of  faith,  by  any  who  desire  admission  to  its 

*  Compare  Camb.  PL  ch.  xvi.     For  the  Constitution  of 
the  National  Council,  see  Appendix. 


63 

holy  communion,  is   a  satisfactory  profession   of 
faith  in  Christ  and  his  gospel. 

3.  When  a  council  is  assembled  for  the  ordina 
tion  or  recognition  of  a  pastor,  or  for  the  ordination 
of  a  missionary  or   other  minister   at   large,  the 
candidate  for  ordination  or  recognition  may  reason 
ably  be  required  to  make  a  more  ample  declaration 
of  his  religious  belief,  holding  forth  to  the  church 
and  the  council,  not  only  his  personal  faith  in  the 
Saviour  of  sinners,  but  also  his  doctrinal  soundness 
as  a  preacher  of  the  word.     Such  confession   of 
faith  should  be   in  words  deliberately  and    accu 
rately  chosen,  and  the  council  must  judge  whether 
the  confession  is  sound  and  sufficient. 

4.  Every  church  desiring  to  share   in  the  fel 
lowship  of  the  churches  should  make  some  ade 
quate  declaration   of  its   fidelity  to  the  doctrine 
which  is  according  to  godliness.     It  is  therefore  fit 
that  every  church  set  forth,  in  the  form  of  a  confes 
sion  or  catechism,  the   system   of  truth  which   it 
receives  as  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints, 
which  its  pastors  and  teachers  maintain  by  their 
ministry,  and  in  which  it  trains  its  children. 

5.  Any  assembly  of  elders  or  messengers  rep 
resenting  a  body  of  churches,  local  or  national,  is 


64 

competent  to  testify  ir.  the  form  of  a  confession 
what  system  of  doctrines  is  received  and  main 
tained  in  the  churches  which  it  represents.  Or 
any  body  of  Christian  men,  being  called  thereto  in 
the  providence  of  God,  may  frame  and  publish,  as 
a  confession  of  their  faith,  a  declaration  of  the 
truths  which  they  receive  as  revealed  from  God 
by  his  word  and  Spirit.  Such  confessions  of  faith 
have  often  been  useful  for  the  refutation  of  injuri 
ous  reproaches,  or  for  the  confirmation  of  the 
truth. 

6.  The  right  use  of  confessions  of  faith  is  not 
for  separation  and  mutual  exclusion  among  Chris 
tians,  but  rather  for  mutual  information  and  confi 
dence,  and  the  manifestation  of  unity.  For  this 
purpose,  inasmuch  as  the  Scriptures  are  often  per 
verted,  and  doctrines  subversive  of  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints  are  brought  in  among  the 
churches,  it  sometimes  becomes  reasonable  and  fit 
for  churches,  or  for  representative  assemblies,  not 
only  to  testify  and  confess  the  truth,  but  also  to 
bear  witness  against  doctrines  contrary  to  the  gos 
pel  of  Christ,  and  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men. 
For  Christian  unity  is  not  to  be  maintained  by 
compromises  with  doctrines  which  corrupt  the 


65 

word  of  God,  but  only  by  adherence  to  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Yet  no  confession  of  faith  or  tes 
timony  against  error  is  to  be  set  up  in  place  of  the 
Scriptures,  which  are  the  only  standard  and  unerr 
ing  rule  of  faith,  and  with  which  all  human  formu 
laries  are  to  be  constantly  and  diligently  com 
pared.* 


PART  IV. 
THE  MINISTRY. 


CHAPTER  I. 
The  Preaching  of  the  Word. 

i.  WHILE  those  whom  the  church  chooses  and 
ordains  to  be  its  pastors  and  teachers,  are,  by  vir 
tue  of  their  office,  preachers  of  the  gospel,  laboring 
in  word  and  doctrine,  the  work  of  preaching  is  not 
exclusively  a  function  of  church  officers.  Fit  men 
not  bearing  office  in  any  church,  but  giving  them 
selves  to  the  work  of  preaching,  have  always  been 

*  Compare  Preface  to  Camb.  PI.,  Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  viii. 
Preface  to  Savoy  Confession. 
5 


66 

recognized  among  us  as  ministers  of  the  word. 
The  ministry,  therefore,  includes  all  who  are  called 
of  God  to  preach  the  gospel  and  are  set  apart  to 
that  work  by  ordination.* 

2.  The  necessity  for  a  recognized  class  of  min 
isters  not  holding  office  in  any  church  is  manifold. 
(i.)  In  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature, 
there  is  much  to  be  done  which  cannot  be  done  by 
elders  or  bishops  of  churches,  whose  work  is  chiefly 
parochial,  and  not  missionary.  (2.)  There  is,  and 
ever  must  be,  need  of  ministers,  recognized  as 
such,  who  can  supply,  by  occasional  and  temporary 
ministration,  the  lack  of  service  in  churches  that 
have  no  preaching  elders.  (3.)  Those  who  are  to 
teach  and  train  men  for  the  ministry  must  needs 
be  ministers,  recognized  as  such  among  the 
churches,  and  esteemed  for  their  zeal  and  power 
in  holding  forth  the  word  of  life  ;  and  yet  they 
cannot  ordinarily  be  at  the  same  time  officers  in 
churches.  (4.)  Under  every  theory  of  church 
order,  there  must  be,  in  fact,  a  class  of  men  accred 
ited  in  some  way,  and  recognized  as  qualified  by 
natural  endowments,  by  learning  and  study,  and 
by  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  their  souls,  to 

*  Compare  Sav.  Dec.  §  13.     Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  ii,  §§3,7. 


67 

preach  the  word  ;  among  whom  the  churches  may 
find  fit  men  to  be  their  pastors  and  teachers.  (5.) 
Nor  can  the  churches  consent  that  when  a  pastor, 
for  any  good  reason,  resigns  his  office,  and  is  dis 
charged  with  commendation  as  a  good  and  faithful 
servant  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  he  shall  thenceforth 
cease  to  be  reputed  and  recognized  as  a  minister 
of  the  word.  (6.)  It  is  abundantly  evident  from 
the  Scriptures,  that,  in  the  beginning,  there  were 
many  ministers  of  the  word,  beside  the  elders  who 
were  ordained  in  every  church ;  and  that  while  the 
distinctive  work  of  the  apostles  was  essentially 
extraordinary,  ceasing  with  their  lives,  and  trans 
mitted  to  no  successors,  the  work  of  ministers  not 
holding  office  in  the  churches  was  a  work  which 
continues  and  must  continue  till  Christ's  Catholic 
church  on  earth  shall  cease  to  be  militant. 

3.  Such  ministers  of  the  gospel,  not  being  apos 
tles  nor  successors  of  the  apostles,  are  invested 
with  no  apostolic  authority  ;  and,  not  being  elders 
or  bishops,  they  have  no  official  place  or  power  in 
any  church  (except  when  temporarily  invited  by 
some  church) ;  but  each  one,  in  the  church  with 
which  he  is  in  covenant,  is  only  a  member  till  the 
church  shall  call  him  to  office  either  as  a  deacon 


68 

or  as  an  elder  ;  and  if  he  be  called  to  office  as  an 
elder  laboring  in  word  and  doctrine,  then  the  com 
munion  of  the  churches  will  require  that  his  induc 
tion  into  office  be  approved  by  a  council  in  order 
to  his  being  recognized  as  pastor  by  the  neighbor 
churches. 

4.  A  minister  who  is  not  a  member  of  some 
Congregational  church,  is  not  in  fact,  and  ought 
not  to  be  counted,  a  minister  in  connection  with 
the  churches  and  ministry  of  the  Congregational 
order,  though  he  may  be  worthy  of  confidence  and 
fellowship  by  virtue  of  his  responsible  connection 
with  some  other  body  of  evangelical  churches. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Ordination  to  the  Ministry  at  Large. 

i.  As  it  was  in  the  church  at  Antioch  that 
Barrabas  and  Saul  received  their  special  call  to 
the  missionary  work  among  the  Gentiles,  so,  by 
parity  of  reason,  the  formal  designation  of  a  bro 
ther  to  the  work  of  a  minister  at  large  ought  always 
to  proceed  from  some  church  cognizant  of  his 
gifts  and  graces,  and  therefore  competent  to 
judge,  in  the  first  instance,  whether  he  is  called  of 


69 

God  ;  nor  ordinarily  should  the  call  for  a  council 
to  ordain  him  proceed  from  any  other  church  than' 
that  in  which  he  is,  or  in  which  he  is  to  be  a 
member. 

2.  As  Barnabas  and  Saul,  when  sent  from  the 
church  at  Antioch  on  a  mission  to  the  Gentiles, 
were  separated  to  their  work  by  prayer  and  laymg- 
on  of  hands  ;  so  it  is  fit,  that,  after  reasonable  trial, 
those  who  are  called  to   minister  in   the   word  of 
God  without  holding  the  office  of  elders  or  bishops 
in  any  church    be   solemnly   commended   to   the 
grace  of  God,  and,  by  the  laying-on  of  hands  and 
prayer,  be  separated  to  the  work  whereunto  he  hath 
called   them.     No   church   ought   to    ordain    any 
without  the  approval  of  neighbor  churches  assem 
bled  in  a  council.     Yet  it  should  be   remembered 
that  the  ordination  is  the   act  of  the  church,  and 
that  the  duty  of  such   council   is   not  to  exercise 
jurisdiction  or  authority  over  the  church,  but  sim 
ply  to  advise  and  assist,  and  to  express  the  fellow 
ship  of  other  churches  in  the  transaction. 

3.  Especially  should  men  who  enter  upon  the 
ministry  that  they  may  be  sent  on  a  foreign,  or 
other  distant  mission,  be  solemnly  separated  to  that 
.work  bv  the  advice  and  assistance  of  councils  duly 


convened.  Thus  receiving  from  churches  at  home 
the  right  hands  of  fellowship,  they  may  go  forth, 
under  Christ's  commission,  to  preach  his  gospel, 
to  gather  churches,  and  to  set  them  in  order  until 
such  time  as  those  churches  shall  have  become 
sufficiently  instructed  and  confirmed  for  self-sup 
port  and  complete  self-government. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Associations  of  Ministers. 

1.  THE  experience  of  our   churches,  from  the 
beginning,  has  proved  that  the  frequent  consulta 
tion  of  ministers  with  each  other,  so  that  the  watch 
men  may  see  eye  to  eye,  is  of  great  importance  to 
their  efficiency  in  their  work;  and  the  formal  asso 
ciation  of  pastors,  not  excluding  other  ministers,  for 
mutual  counsel  and  helpfulness,  is  an  arrangement 
which  has  been  greatly  blessed  of  God  for  the  wel 
fare   of   the    churches   and   the   advancement  of 
religion. 

2.  An  Association  of  ministers  has  no  jurisdic 
tion  or  authority  over  the  churches..    It  may  give 
advice  to  its  own  members,  or  to  any  other  person 


asking  its'  advice,  on  questions  of  church  order  or 
questions  of  doctrine  ;  but  it  can  neither  inflict  nor 
remove  any  church  censure.  It  forms  its  own  rules 
concerning  the  qualifications  and  conditions  of 
membership,  and  in  accordance  with  those  rules  it 
can  admit  members  and  exclude  them ;  but  it  can 
ordain  no  man  to  the  ministry,  nor  can  it  depose 
any  man  from  the  ministry.  If  one  of  its  mem 
bers,  whether  a  pastor,  or  a  minister  without  pas 
toral  charge,  is  guilty  of  an  offence  for  which  he 
should  be  deposed  from  the  ministry,  it  may  not 
only  exclude  him  from  its  fellowship,  but  may  bring 
the  matter  to  the  notice  of  the  church  to  which  he 
is  responsible.  Or  if  any  minister  or  professed 
minister  of  scandalous  or  heretical  character  is  pre 
suming  to  officiate  in  the  churches  of  the  vicinity, 
the  Association  may  take  measures  to  bring  the 
matter  to  the  notice  of  the  proper  ecclesiastical 
authority,  or,  if  necessary  to  the  protection  of  the 
churches  and  the  vindication  of  the  ministry,  may 
give  public  notice  that  he  is  not  in  their  fellowship. 
3.  By  the  common  consent  and  ancient  usage 
of  the  churches  in  New  England,  the  recognized 
Associations  of  pastors  and  other  ministers  are 
intrusted  with  the  duty  of  examining  those  who  are 


72 

to  preach  as  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  of 
commending  them  to  the  churches  by  letters  of 
approbation,  so  that  untaught  or  otherwise  unfit 
persons  may  not  intrude  themselves  into  the  work 
of  preaching.  In  some  other  parts  of  the  United 
States,  the  Conferences  or  associations  of  churches 
have  assumed  that  duty,  Associations  of  pastors 
and  other  ministers  having  been  not  yet  insti 
tuted.* 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Candidates  for  the  Ministry  ;   their  Education  and 
the  Trial  of  their    Gifts. 

i.  INASMUCH  as  the  work  of  ministering  in  the 
word  of  God,  to  the  edification  of  the  churches, 
and  to  the  advancement  of  religion,  requires  not 
only  natural  gifts  of  intelligence  and  discretion  and 
of  utterance,  but  also  a  personal  experience  of  the 
gospel  as  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  a  hearty 
love  to  Christ  and  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  a  com 
prehensive  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
of  the  system  of  truth  which  they  reveal,  our  fathers, 
at  the  beginning,  made  great  endeavors  and  sacri- 

*  Compare  Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  iv.  §  i;  ch.  vi. 


73 

fices  to  establish  colleges  consecrated  to  Christ 
and  the  church,  that  a  faithful  and  competently 
learned  ministry  might  be  provided  for  their  pos 
terity,  and  for  the  country  which  they  were  redeem 
ing  from  the  wilderness.  Colleges  under  Christian 
influence  and  control,  and  founded  primarily  for 
the  education  of  men  whom  the  churches  may  call 
to  the  ministry,  are  among  the  foremost  of  the  vol 
untary  institutions  which  accompany  the  prosperity 
of  churches  walking  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the 
gospel ;  and  the  work  of  presiding  and  teaching  in 
such  institutions  is  a  work  in  which  consecrated 
ministers  of  the  gospel  may  make  full  proof  of 
their  ministry,  and  may  obtain  a  place  among  those 
who  have  turned  many  to  righteousness. 

2.  In  later  times,  the  progress  of  society  and 
the  increase  and  wide  diffusion  of  knowledge  hav 
ing  changed,  in  some  degree,  the  course  of  educa 
tion  in  the  colleges,  so  that  other  and  special  stud 
ies  are  now  necessary  to  a  full  preparation  for  the 
ministry,  theological  seminaries  have  been  founded, 
that  those  who  offer  themselves  to  the  service  of 
Christ  in  the  preaching  and  defence  of  His  gospel, 
and  who  have  been  disciplined  by  liberal  studies, 
and  enriched  with  general  knowledge,  may  be 


74 

instructed  in  all  kinds  of  sacred  learning,  and, 
under  the  guidance  of  teachers  who  are  also  able 
and  faithful  preachers  of  the  word,  and  experienced 
in  the  care  of  souls,  may,  by  God's  blessing  on 
their  endeavors,  prepare  themselves  for  the  largest 
usefulness  in  the  churches  that  may  call  them  to 
office,  and  in  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  to 
every  creature. 

3.  The  credentials  which  a  young  man  may 
receive  from  a  college,  or  a  theological  seminary, 
are  not  sufficient  for  his  introduction  to  the  churches 
as  a  preacher.  Still  less  may  his  own  desire  to 
preach,  or  the  desire  of  his  friends  and  the  commen 
dation  he  receives  from  them,  authorize  him  to  offer 
himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  or  make  it 
safe  for  congregations  to  employ  him  for  the  trial  of 
his  gifts.  Even  at  the  beginning,  when  the  churches 
were  few  and  not  far  distant  from  each  other,  it 
was  soon  found  needful  to  institute  some  well-con 
sidered  arrangement  for  the  examination  of  can 
didates  and  their  orderly  introduction  to  the 
churches.  And  inasmuch  as  it  devolves  on  the 
pastors  and  teachers  of  churches  to  feed  the  several 
flocks  of  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  them 
overseers,  and  to  take  heed  whom  they  severally 


75 

introduce  to  preach  the  word,  it  was  agreed  that 
neighboring  pastors  should  jointly  exercise  their 
right  of  examination  and  inquiry  before  recognizing 
or  commending  a  candidate  as  qualified  to  preach 
in  public.  It  is,  therefore,  a  long-established  usage 
in  the  communion  of  our  churches,  that  no  man  is 
to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  or 
is  to  be  received  as  such,  without  having  been 
examined  and  approved  by  some  recognized  Asso 
ciation  of  pastors.* 

4.  In  the  examination  of  a  candidate,  the  Asso 
ciation,  having  received  evidence  of  his  standing  as 
a  member  in  full  communion  of  some  evangelical 
church,  with  other  testimonials  to  his  blamelessness 
in  life  and  his  attainments  in  knowledge,  inquires 
of  him  concerning  his  experience  of  the  power  of 
godliness,  the  reasons  of  his  desire  and  choice  to 
preach  the  gospel,  the  studies  he  has  pursued,  his 
knowledge  especially  of  the  system  of  doctrine  con 
tained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  his  readiness  in  the 
exposition  and  application  of  the  word  of  God  ; 
and,  having  obtained  satisfactory  evidence  of  his 
fitness  to  preach  in  the  churches  for  the  trial  of  his 
gifts,  the  pastors  and  other  ministers  in  that  Asso- 

*  Compare  Heads  of  Agr.  ch.  ii,  §  7- 


76 

elation  assembled,  certify  their  approbation  in  a 
written  testimonial. 

5.  The  person  thus  accredited  is  not  yet  recog 
nized  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  but  is  only  a  can 
didate  for  the  ministry,  temporarily  commended  to 
the  churches  that  they  may  make  trial  of  his  fitness 
for  that  sacred  work  ;  and,  till  he  shall  be  duly 
ordained  to  the  ministry,  the  testimonial  given  to 
him  may  be  withdrawn  whenever  that  Association, 
for  any  good  reason,  is  no  longer  willing  to  be 
responsible  for  him. 


§Jjj  manjj  as  foalk  aceorbing  to  lljis  rule,  peact  bt  on 
%m,  ana  mertg,  sn&  upon  %  Israel  of 


APPENDIX. 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH 

Adopted  by  the  National  Council  at  Plymouth,  Mass., 
June  22,  1865. 

STANDING  by  the  rock  where  the  Pilgrims  set  foot 
upon  these  shores,  upon  the  spot  where  they  wor 
shipped  God,  and  among  the  graves  of  the  early 
generations,  we,  Elders  and  Messengers  of  the  Congre 
gational  churches  of  the  United  States  in  National 
Council  assembled,  —  like  them  acknowledging  no  rule 
of  faith  but  the  word  of  God,  — do  now  declare  our 
adherence  to  the  faith  and  order  of  the  apostolic  and 
primitive  churches  held  by  our  fathers,  and  substan 
tially  as  embodied  in  the  confessions  and  platforms 
which  our  Synods  of  1648  and  i63o  set  forth  or  reaf 
firmed.  We  declare  that  the  experience  of  the  nearly 
two  and  a  half  centuries  which  have  elapsed  since  the 
memorable  day  when  our  sires  founded  here  a  Christian 
Commonwealth,  with  all  the  development  of  new  forms 
of  error  since  their  times,  has  only  deepened  our  con 
fidence  in  the  faith  and  polity  of  these  fathers.  We 
bless  God  for  the  inheritance  of  these  doctrines.  We 
invoke  the  help  of  the  Divine  Redeemer,  that  through 
the  presence  of  the  promised  Comforter,  He  will  enable 
us  to  transmit  them  in  purity  to  our  children. 


78 

In  the  times  that  are  before  us  as  a  nation,  times  at 
once  of  duty  and  of  danger,  we  rest  all  our  hope  in  the 
gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  was  the  grand  peculiarity 
of  our  Puritan  Fathers,  that  they  held  this  gospel,  not 
merely  as  the  ground  of  their  personal  salvation,  but 
as  declaring  the  worth  of  man  by  the  incarnation  and 
sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  therefore  applied  its 
principles  to  elevate  society,  to  regulate  education,  to 
civilize  humanity,  to  purify  law,  to  reform  the.  Church 
and  the  State,  and  to  assert  and  defend  liberty;  in 
short,  to  mould  and  redeem,  by  its  all-transforming 
energy,  everything  that  belongs  to  man  in  his  indi 
vidual  and  social  relations. 

It  was  the  faith  of  our  fathers  that  gave  us  this  free 
land  in  which  we  dwell.  It  is  by  this  faith  only  that 
we  can  transmit  to  our  children  a  free  and  happy, 
because  a  Christian,  commonwealth. 

We  hold  it  to  be  a  distinctive  excellence  of  our 
Congregational  system,  that  it  exalts  that  which  is 
more,  above  that  which  is  less,  important,  and,  by  the 
simplicity  of  its  organization,  facilitates,  in  communities 
where  the  population  is  limited,  the  union  of  all  true 
believers  in  one  Christian  church  ;  and  that  the 
division  of  such  communities  into  several  weak  and 
jealous  societies,  holding  the  same  common  faith, 
is  a  sin  against  the  unity  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  at 
once  the  shame  and  scandal  of  Christendom. 

We  rejoice  that,  through  the  influence  of  our  free 
system  of  apostolic  order,  we  can  hold  fellowship  with 
all  who  acknowledge  Christ,  and  act  efficiently  in  the 
work  of  restoring  unity  to  the  divided  Church,  and  of 
bringing  back  harmony  and  peace  among  all  "who 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 


79 

Thus  recognizing  the  unity  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
in  all  the  world,  and  knowing  that  we  are  but  one 
branch  of  Christ's  people,  —  while  adhering  to  our  pe 
culiar  faith  and  order,  we  extend  to  all  believers  the 
hand  of  Christian  fellowship  upon  the  basis  of  those 
great  fundamental  truths  in  which  all  Christians  should 
agree.  With  them  we  confess  our  faith  in  God,  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the-  Iloly  Ghost,  the  only  living 
and  true  God;  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  incarnate  Word,  who 
is  exalted  to  be  our  Redeemer  and  King ;  and  in  the 
Holy  Comforter,  who  is  present  in  the  Church  to  re 
generate  and  sanctify  the  soul. 

With  the  whole  Church,  we  confess  the  common 
sinfulness  and  ruin  of  our  race,  and  acknowledge  that 
it  is  only  through  the  work  accomplished  by  the  life 
and  expiatory  death  of  Christ  that  believers  in  him  are 
justified  before  God,  receive  the  remission  of  sins,  and 
through  the  presence  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Comforter 
are  delivered  from  the  power  of  sin,  and  perfected  in 
holiness. 

We  believe  also  in  the  organized  and  visible  Church, 
in  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  in  the  sacraments  of  Bap 
tism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
body,  and  in  the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of  which 
are  eternal  life  and  everlasting  punishment. 

We  receive  these  truths  on  the  testimony  of  God, 
given  through  prophets  and  apostles,  and  in  the  life, 
the  miracles,  the  death,  the  resurrection,  of  his  Son, 
our  Divine  Redeemer  —  a  testimony  preserved  for  the 
Church  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa 
ments,  which  were  composed  by  holy  men  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Affirming  now  our  belief  that  those  who  thus  hold 


8o 


"one  faith,  one  Lord,  one  baptism,"  together  consti 
tute  the  one  catholic  Church,  the  several  households 
of  which,  though  called  by  different  names,  are  the 
one  body  of  Christ,  and  that  these  members  of  his 
body  are  sacredly  bound  to  keep  "  the  unity  of  the 
spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  we  declare  that  we  will 
co-operate  with  all  who  hold  these  truths.  With  them 
we  will  carry  the  gospel  into  every  part  of  this  land, 
and  with  them  we  will  go  into  all  the  world,  and 
"preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  May  He  to 
whom  "  all  power  is  given  in  heaven  and  earth  "  fulfil 
the  promise  which  is  all  our  hope  :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  Amen. 


THE  CONSTITUTION 


National  Council,  adopted  at  Oberlin,  O.,  November 
17,   1871. 

THE  Congregational  churches  of  the  United  States, 
by  elders  and  messengers  assembled,  do  now  associate 
themselves  in  National  Council : 

To  express  and  foster  their  substantial  unity  in  doc 
trine,  polity,  and  work  ;  and 

To  consult  upon  the  common  interests  of  all  the 
churches,  their  duties  in  the  work  of  evangelization, 
the  united  development  of  their  resources,  and  their 
relations  to  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

They  agree  in  belief  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are 
the  sufficient  and  only  infallible  rule  of  religious  faith 
and  practice  ;  their  interpretation  thereof  being  in 
substantial  accordance  with  the  great  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  faith,  commonly  called  Evangelical,  held 
in  our  churches  from  the  early  times,  and  sufficiently 
set  forth  by  former  General  Councils. 

They  agree  in  belief  that  the  right  of  government 
resides  in  local  churches,  or  congregations  of  believers, 
who  are  responsible  directly  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  One  Head  of  the  church  universal  and  of  all  par 
ticular  churches;  but  that  all  churches,  being  in 
communion  one  with  another  as  parts  of  Christ's 


82 


catholic  church,  have  mutual  duties  subsisting  in  the 
obligations  of  fellowship. 

The  churches,  therefore,  while  establishing  this 
National  Council  for  the  furtherance  of  the  common 
interests  and  work  of  all  the  churches,  do  maintain  the 
Scriptural  and  inalienable  right  of  each  church  to  self- 
government  and  administration ;  and  this  National 
Council  shall  never  exercise  legislative  or  judicial 
authority,  nor  consent  to  act  as  a  council  of  reference. 

And  for  the  convenience  of  orderly  consultation, 
they  establish  the  following  Rules  :  — 

I.  Sessions.  —  The  churches  will  meet  in  National 
Council  every  third  year.    They  shall  also  be  convened 
in  special  session  whenever  any  five  of  the  general 
State  organizations  shall  so  request. 

I 1.  Representation.  —  The  churches  shall  be  repre 
sented  at  each  session,  by  delegates,  either  ministers 
or  laymen,    appointed    in    number    and    manner  as 
follows  :  — 

1.  The  churches,  assembled  in  their  local  organiza 
tions,  appoint  one  delegate  for  every  ten  churches  in 
their  respective  organizations,  and  one  for  a  fraction  of 
ten  greater  than  one  half,  it  being  understood  that 
wherever  the  churches  of  any  State  are  directly  united 
in  a  general  organization,  they  may,  at  their  option, 
appoint  the  delegates  in  such   a  body,  instead  of  in 
local  organizations,  but  in  the  above  ratio  of  churches 
so  united. 

2.  In  addition  to  the  above,  the  churches  united  in 
State  organization  appoint  by  such  body  one  delegate, 
and  one  for  each  ten  thousand  communicants  in  their 
fellowship,  and  one  for  a  major  fraction  thereof :  — 

3.  It   being  recommended    that    the    number    of 


83 

delegates  be,  in  all  cases,  divided  between  ministers 
and  laymen,  as  nearly  equally  as  is  practicable. 

4.  Such  Congregational  general  societies  for  Chris 
tian  work,  and  the  faculties  of  such  theological  semina 
ries,  as  may  be  recognized  by  this  Council,  may  be 
represented  by  one  delegate  each,  such  representa 
tives  having  the  right  of  discussion  only. 

III.  Officers.  —  i.  At  the  beginning  of  every  stated 
or  special  session,  there  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot, 
from  those  present  as  members,  a  moderator,  and  one 
or  more  assistant  moderators,  to  preside  over  its 
deliberations. 

2.  At  each  triennial  session,  there  shall  be  chosen 
by  ballot  a  secretary,  a  registrar,  and  a  treasurer,  to 
serve  from  the  close  of  such  session  to  the  close  of  the 
next  triennial  session. 

3.  The  secretary  shall  receive  communications  for 
the  Council,  conduct  correspondence,  and  collect  such 
facts,  and  superintend  such  publications,  as  may  from 
time  to  time  be  ordered. 

4.  The    registrar    shall    make  and    preserve   the 
records  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Council ;  and  for  his 
aid,  one  or  more  assistants  shall  be  chosen  at  each 
session,  to  serve  during  such  session. 

5.  The   treasurer   shall   do    the    work    ordinarily 
belonging  to  such  office. 

6.  At  each  triennial  session,  there  shall  be  chosen 
a  provisional    committee,   who    shall    make    needful 
arrangements  for  the  next  triennial  session,  and  for 
any  session  called  during  the  interval. 

7.  Committees   shall  be    appointed,   and   in   such 
manner,  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  ordered. 

8.  Any  member  of  a  church  in  fellowship  may  be 


84 

chosen  to  the  office  of  secretary,  registrar,  or  treas 
urer  ;  and  such  officers  as  are  not  delegates  shall  have 
the  privileges  of  members,  except  that  of  voting. 

IV.  By -Laws.  —  The  Council  may  make  and  alter 
By-laws  at  any  triennial  session. 

V.  Amendments.— -This  constitution  shall  not  be 
altered  or  amended  except  at  a  triennial  session,  and 
by  a  two-thirds  vote,  notice  thereof  having  been  given 
at  a  previous  triennial  session,  or  the  proposed  altera 
tion  having  been  requested  by  some  general  State 
organization  of  churches,  and  published  with  the  noti 
fication  of  the  session. 


BY-LAWS.      ,   , 

I.  In  all  its  official   acts   and   records,  this  body 
shall  be  designated  as  THE  NATIONAL  COUNCIL  OF 
THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES. 

II.  It  shall  be  understood  that  the  term  for  which 
delegates  to  the  Council  are  appointed  expires  with 
each  session,  triennial  or  special,  to  which  they  are 
chosen. 

III.  The  term  "  Congregational,"  as  applied  to  the 
general  benevolent  Societies,  in  connection  with  repre 
sentation  in  this   body,  is  understood  in   the   broad 
sense  of  societies  whose  constituency  and  control  are 
substantially  Congregational. 

IV.  The  Provisional   Committee   shall   consist   of 
seven  persons  by  appointment,  with  the  addition   of 
the   Secretary,   Registrar,   and    Treasurer,   ex-officiis. 
This  committee  shall  specify  the  place,  and  the  precise 


time,  at  which  sessions  shall  commence  ;  shall  choose 
a  preacher  of  the  opening  sermon  ;  may  select  topics 
regarding  the  Christian  work  of  the  churches,  and  per 
sons  to  prepare  and  present  papers  thereon  ;  shall  do 
any  work  which  shall  have  been  referred  to  them  by 
the  Council ;  and  shall  make  a  full  report  of  all  their 
doings,  —  the  consideration  of  which  shall  be  first  in 
order  of  business  after  organization. 

V.  The  sessions  shall  ordinarily  be  held  in  the  lat 
ter  part  of  October,  or  the  early  part  of  November. 

VI.  The  call  for  any. session  shall  be  signed  by  the 
chairman  of  the  Provisional  Committee  and  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Council,  and  it  shall  contain  a  list  of  topics 
proposed  by  the  committee  ;  and  the  Secretary  shall 
seasonably  furnish  blank  credentials,  and  other  need 
ful  papers,  to  the  scribes  of  the  several  local  organiza 
tions  of  churches. 

VII.  Soon  after  the  opening  of  a  stated  or  special 
session,  the  following  committees  shall  be  appointed : 

1.  A  committee  on  Credentials,  who  shall  ptrepare 
a  roll  of  members. 

2.  A  committee  on  Nominations,  to  nominate  all 
committees  not  otherwise  provided  for. 

3.  A  Business  Committee,  to  propose  a  docket  for 
the  use  of  the  members.     Except  by  special  vote  of  the 
Council,  no  business  shall  be  introduced  which  has  not 
thus  passed  through  the  hands  of  this  committee. 

Committees   shall   be   composed  of  three  persons 
each,  except  otherwise  ordered. 

VIII.  In  the  sessions  of  the  National  Council,  half 
an  hour  shall  every  morning  be  given  to  devotional 
services,  and  the  daily  sessions  shall  be  opened  with 
prayer,  and  closed  with  prayer  or  singing.     One  even- 


86 


ing  at  least  shall  be  entirely  set  apart  for  a  meeting  of 
prayer  and  conference ;  and  every  evening  shall  ordi 
narily  be  given  to  meetings  of  a  specifically  religious, 
rather  than  business  character.  And  the  Council  will 
join  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  at  some 
convenient  season. 

IX.  An  Auditor  of  Accounts  shall  be  appointed  at 
every  session. 

X.  The  Provisional  Committee  may  fill  any  vacan 
cies  occurring  in  any  committee  or  office  in  the  inter 
vals  of  sessions,  —  the  person  so  appointed  to  serve 
until  the  next  session. 

XI.  The  Council  approves  of  an  annual  compilation 
of  the  statistics  of  the  churches,  and  of  a  list  of  such 
ministers  as  are  reported  by  the  several  State  organ 
izations.     And  the  Secretary  is  directed  to  present  at 
each  triennial  session,  comprehensive  and  comparative 
summaries  for  the  three  years  preceding. 

XII.  The  Council  will  welcome  correspondence  by 
interchange  of  delegates,  with  the  general  Congrega 
tional   bodies   of  other  lands,   and  with   the   general 
ecclesiastical  organizations  of  other  churches  of  Evan 
gelical  faith  in  our  land.     Delegates  will  be  appointed 
by  the  Council  in  the  years  of  its  session,  and  by  the 
Provisional  Committee  in  the  intervening  years. 


IA  LIBRARY 

••MM^^^^B^^v 

"O       3    «-i    ® 

tin 

1    §  i?-S 

>,  *"O     G 

O 

Illl 

"^      d    d    m 
«       00^ 

1  IP 

f     f        £ 
S    rV-      ^ 

O 

g  all 

^      ^= 

1 

This  book  i 
Fine  schedu: 

H 

^^^^^^^^^•I^H^^H 

>33 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  UBRARY 


